


Shadow Ops: A Post-FFVI Adventure

by Shaph



Category: Final Fantasy VI
Genre: F/M, Post-Game(s), Psychological Trauma, Sex, Torture, World of Ruin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-12 16:46:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 71
Words: 171,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11165940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shaph/pseuds/Shaph
Summary: Feeling left behind in a world and a relationship with Celes Chere that no longer desires his attributes, Locke Cole meets a man who intends on using his abilities to protect Figaro from two new factions that threaten the peace of the kingdom, and a new, dangerous force that possesses the possibility of ruining everything he and his friends have striven for.Heartbreak.  Recovery.  Redemption.  The trials start well before the world's judgment.Join Locke Cole as he ventures into a secret power struggle with a new organization's creed in his mind: protect the darkness to save the light.Welcome to Shadow Ops.





	1. A Dragon in Mist

**Author's Note:**

> First time fanfiction reader, first time fanfiction (or anything, for that matter) writer. I'll wager it shows, too. I certainly hope I can continue to improve in technique from this, given how much fun I had writing this. I'm incredibly nervous as I begin to put this on the site: just making this public is a huge step for my self-conscious nature. 
> 
> The adventure bred from the first chapter. I wrote it based off a scene I witnessed at a bar I was in earlier that day. I then developed the rest of the plot after a lot of internal debate on what the story should be about, and I decided on a whim to center it around Locke and Celes.
> 
> Rating: Explicit, for some strong, graphic violence, including a scene of torture involving sexual battery, some strong language, sexual situations, and adult content including discussion of suicide.

Locke sat there, looking at an empty glass, staring at himself in the reflection. Time had melted into an unknown oblivion thanks to the expensive brandy he had purchased merely one hour ago. The burning residue remained in his throat, giving him an occasional cough.

He did not like what he saw. His grey eyes had faded into a darker hue from the loss of his personal light. His hair was now even more disheveled from day to day. His face drooped.

It felt like rock bottom. He couldn’t seem to recognize that stare behind both eyes.

He placed his head on the counter, not wanting to acknowledge the sun just outside the South Figaro pub. He just wanted to remain there, in the numb bliss his brandy had provided. In this state, he felt more normal and comfortable. He could just lie there and relive the last four months of his life. In those four months he had been forced to endure many hardships and life reflections that had damaged his ability to see a clear future.

He had fallen back into simple thievery to get by.

He had become disgusted with his treasure hunting side and choices.

He had walked out of his and Celes’ house, defiantly, to go on that damn trek.

The burning sensation entered his head now. He knew it would. It always did when he recalled her. He understood what the source of scorching was, a feeling that he could not escape. It was a feeling he was unsure was bred from genuine anger at his decision that night or a product of his hard times.

It was regret. And there was only one cure there. He held up his glass without looking at it.

“Another, please.”

The bartender sighed. This was the first time this week he had been forced to stare at an unsightly body. Still, he would not judge, and he walked over and honored the request.

Locke heard the end of the pour. He then picked up the glass again. “Cheers.”

“For what?” the bartender, asked half out of curtsy and half out of curiosity.

“For the memories you wished turned to smoke and disappeared,” he said without any motion.

The glass was empty ten seconds later. Locke returned his head to the counter with his hand still around the glass. The bartender sighed again. He knew by now that a slight variation of the same routine was due in about fifteen minutes. He would check on his customer again at that time.

Neither the bartender nor Locke seemed to notice the two men who had been observing the interaction for the past five minutes. The first was a tall, older gentleman who must’ve been in his fifties. His uniform suggested importance yet had never been noticed before. His nametag simply read KINGSLEY, NIGEL and unbeknownst to the bartender and Locke, he was someone who had suddenly become very important in the Figaro Empire. The second was dressed in similar uniform. Only the nametag, which read DIXON, JOHN was any different.

The only other identifier was an insignia of some kind, located on the opposite side of the chest portion of the uniform. It looked like it represented a dark dragon concealed in a grey mist.

The bartender looked up and noticed the two. Having never seen them, he didn’t seem too keen on personal chatter. That was reserved for the regulars or perhaps the drunk seated two barstools down from him. “Sit wherever you’d like.”

They didn’t move. Only Kingsley’s eyes shifted around. They then focused on Locke. Dixon looked up and now focused on Locke as well. “That’s him. Reports match him up.”

Kingsley nodded, a slight smile crossing his face. “Nothing like I’d have expected, given the report. You sure we have the right man, Dixon?”

“You can trust our security branch. He’s the one.”

Kingsley chuckled and felt his pocket. Normally, an emerald pouch resided there. He ensured that it contained 15,000 gil inside at all times as a precaution for his job. Now, it no longer occupied its normal home. His stare never left Locke except briefly to observe the bottle of brandy next to him. The pink label established it as an import from Maranda. It also established the steep price the man had paid to drink from it.

“At least he had the decency to shoot for the stars in his alcohol selection.” Kingsley continued to take small glances around the pub, remarking on how such a location would have such a high-end liquor selection for what appeared to be such a bottom feeder.

Dixon seemed less impressed. “Sir, with all due respect, he thought he could just pilfer that from you in broad daylight. Thankfully, the tracker embedded inside did its job.”

“Dixon, I think you miss the point. He succeeded, and I had no clue thanks to the replacement pouch he generously traded me.”

“I understand, sir, but that doesn’t excuse the brazen behavior against you, our highest ranking member. This isn’t the way to recruit talent we can trust.”

Kingsley let out a louder chuckle. “Sounds like you forget our line of work. He either has elite skills that we could use, or he simply had no earthly idea what his mark was capable of.”

Dixon sighed. “From the sight of him, the latter works for me. Gods, what a mess.”

“We can fix messes.”

“Then I’ll get in contact with Aberdeen to begin paperwork. What shall we do in the meantime?”

“That’s simple,” Kingsley said, his hand now on the hilt of his sword. “We introduce ourselves.”

Without another sound, they took seats on each side of Locke at the counter, never once taking their stare off of him. It did not take him long to realize that he had company, and when that realization set in, Locke slowly looked up, refocusing his eyes to make out their faces. He began his instinctual study of the two, a skill that came natural to him and allowed him to assess people and situations with frightening precision and accuracy. They were clearly professionals and looked both impressed with him for something and angry at the same time. The only detail that did not make sense was the uniform insignia. It was gorgeous, but it had no meaning to him since he had never seen it before.

Suddenly, and regretfully, he touched his left breast pocket to feel for his new money pouch. It was loaded with gil and had an emerald hue to it. His drunkenness didn’t stop him from realizing the tell he had given the two men, and when the one who was named Kingsley smiled and nodded in response to the gesture, Locke groaned.

_Damnit, I gotta quit drinking. Eh, it won’t matter soon._


	2. A Brief History

The world had changed a lot. Sixteen months ago, a band of friends had united and pooled their array of skills, machinery, and magic. With that armada, they had destroyed the Statues of the Goddesses, the madman Kefka who had abused their power, and in one instance released the world from his tyranny and the magical essences that once flowed throughout the globe. When they had finished their journey, they had celebrated together and toasted to a new world free from oppression and ready to prosper. Within their ranks lay the determination and status needed to help guide the world.

Unfortunately, the world’s desires and path rarely lines up with the greatest intentions of man.

First and foremost, the loss of magic initially caused more problems than it had solved. While magic had helped Kefka enslave the world, it also assisted in cultivating the land, developing medicines, and irrigating what meager crops grew in the new harsh wasteland. The loss of these necessities led towns and kingdoms to become more self-driven out of a desire to survive. Famines and droughts now punished many of the smaller, less developed towns and those that had suffered greatly in the aftermath of the world’s destruction.

Fear, panic, and lawlessness began to break out in many of the underdeveloped lands across the new world. Larger kingdoms like Figaro did what it could for its allies, but the rest were left to the whims of Darwinism.

From these losses, eventually initiation sparked new ideas. Leftover texts adopted the now-defunct Magitek technology and began to develop new ways to help people with the basic necessities of life and without the crutch magic provided. The problem with this, though, was the cost. Very few lands had the resources or capital to begin taking advantage of the benefits the new machinery age could provide.

Those kingdoms that could were destined to become the new factions capable of rivaling Figaro in wealth, prosperity, and power. Their ability to provide the basics that their people demanded would mean an increasing influence throughout the world.

The two kingdoms that succeeded the most at the beginning would become the next two powers over the next year. They would be the Order of Kazen, based in the northern lands, and the Utok Empire, based on the southern islands. The Kazen established New Narshe as their headquarters while Utok conquered Tzen as their own and quickly spread south to Albrook. And as human nature tends to show through history, one would be jealous of the other’s accomplishments.

Both kingdoms had established themselves two months after Kefka’s fall. Their meteoric rise was partially due to the dying land. It was partially due to their technological superiority. It was partially due to Figaro’s inability to provide the entire world with local support and guidance.

For the next six months, both groups grew in might and influence. The innovations shifted from infrastructure to weaponry to territory. Utok was more aggressive with armies, claiming trading rights with Thamasa, Mobliz, and smaller towns that had sprouted up around Kefka’s destroyed tower. The Kazen were more diplomatic in nature, though they still controlled diplomacy through their military muscle. The northeast city of Kohlingen pledged its alliance early on in this period, which was considered a huge victory due the vast amounts of resources now available to New Narshe’s manufacturing plants.

Finally, everything came to a head, as a small band of Utok soldiers unsuccessfully attacked a Kazen phalanx outside the port city of Nikeah. Each had sought Nikeah for their own, as the lack of seapower and trade routes in the world made supplying their citizens the greatest logistics challenge to face in the new world. The Kazen touted the victory as the reason its surrounding neighbors ought to join the alliance. Utok felt motivated to force more recruits to build its ranks as it attempted to outmuscle its northern enemy. Maranda soon became an Utok-controlled city.

From this rise in discord, though, came newer unexpected developments. Nikeah instead decided to pledge its allegiance with Figaro and South Figaro due to the lack of force its king demonstrated. It opened its shipping routes to all sides and decided to impose tariffs to those sides that did not recognize its sovereignty. In the world geopolitical landscape, this was viewed as a major loss for the Kazen, which began to look at Figaro with increasing suspicion and concern. Utok suffered a similar humiliating defeat when its efforts to seize Jidoor failed at the hands of their militia, and Jidoor immediately allied with Figaro. To further spurn the southern menace, they opened up their trade and commercial banking networks only to those connected to Figaro or the Kazen. Even worse, open rebellions began in Maranda and Albrook while Mobliz explored open neutrality. Rather than blame one entity, Utok blamed anyone not Utok as the source of problems and thus were enemies.

The world politic stayed in this shape for another two months before Figaro and Doma entered into an open alliance. From this, the world seemed destined to be split in three for a while. Territory advancement now seemed only possible with full-scale war, and while Utok seemed like the only willing combatant, their military strategy knew that they could not have offenses over water to control new lands while dealing with civil war within its own borders. Their best chance at advancement, their leaders concluded, meant researching new sources of energy and power while attempting to retake control of the core of its empire.

The Kazen soon became nervous, though. Their lack of trust in Figaro’s intentions led to souring diplomatic relations. One week later, they proposed a new alliance with the Kingdom of Figaro. Their leader, Lord Maude Alma, did not necessarily see Figaro as a military threat, but she reasoned that their research and revenue potential would do wonders for her kingdom’s newfound surge in developing technology designed to improve living conditions and compete with the building military weaponry of Utok. Plus, from a military standpoint, it would place Figaro in the way of Utok should total war occur.

Figaro knew this, though, and outright rejected the alliance. For the next two months, the two kingdoms began a series of small military exercises and movements in the neutral lands between them. Now, tensions seemed to escalate to a near breaking point.

In the midst of these two months of political tug of war, neither side had developed much in the realm of intelligence gathering. Planting spies behind enemy lines was viewed by both as inefficient and unnecessary. Pride had made each succumb to the belief that whatever advancement the other could develop would surely be topped soon. Only Utok embraced this secret warfare technique, and it produced unsuspecting results. Spies infiltrated the Kazen’s Innovation Division, stealing designs for equipment that could handle harsh climates. They snuck into the historical archives, where they learned of information regarding spirits, ghosts, and other aspects of the occult. One particular passage spoke of five stones allegedly hidden throughout the world, allegedly magical and eternal in nature, whose unity would provide the benefactor untold power.

The combination of these random information thefts would lead Utok to discover, much to its own disbelief, a stone, a five pound onyx, high up in the most dangerous crevasses found in the Phoenix Mountains. Suddenly, its leaders had a stroke of inspiration: assembling these stones might give their kingdom an undefeatable advantage over the kingdoms to the North. They would become the Utok Empire’s priority.

They named their database on this plan the Extraction Project. Using the texts that the Kazen had not cared for, or perhaps had never known existed, Utok began planning its next extraction. It was a small, uninhabited cave in the northeast corner of the world.

Had a Kazen convoy not been delayed due to weather, they might never have found Utok intelligence cadets on this island, surveying the cave for what they hoped would be a second successful extraction. The capture provided the Kazen with nothing useful on the project: the cadets had cleverly destroyed the evidence. What it did do, however, was alert the Kazen to the importance of spying and intelligence. Lord Alma shifted gears and began training her own set of informants and building an underground network.

The Utok cadets, however, were executed. Due to their capability of remaining silent in interrogation, Alma saw no value in keeping them alive and instead saw a chance to try and smoke out any others who had infiltrated her kingdom. And it worked. Four more spies were rounded up. The only reports of what had happened to them were kept secret, known to only a few, and usually induced sickness and disgust in those who unfortunately asked for the details.

Gossip brought this news to Figaro, who still did not see the need to enter the shady underworld its opposition had decided to exploit. Edgar did not want to play shadow games. He did, however, beef up his kingdom’s counterintelligence capabilities.

At roughly the same time, newly trained Kazen spies, code named Dark Ops, finally cracked into Utok intelligence depots in the capital of Tzen. Their discovery of the Extraction Project was a major intelligence victory, but also an unsettling discovery. Lord Alma worried over this development. Earlier Empire generals and professors had trained her, and she knew the deadly powers Utok were attempting to claim as their own. Combined with her convoy’s discovery, she decided that the Kazen needed to find at least one stone to prevent the collection of all five by one entity. If needed, she’d begin plans to take the stone already found by Utok. That left Figaro, and from intelligence reports she knew that one stone was located right within the heartlands around its castle. Dark Ops would head there next.

Figaro’s counterintelligence efforts worked. They discovered the spies and captured all six of them. Their mistake, due to lack of experience and training on the subject, was in not destroying their information and also possessing too much of it. That information led to the finding of several informants throughout the Figaro and Doma kingdoms. It did not, however, cue Figaro in to the data surrounding the Extraction Project.

Now it was Figaro’s turn at espionage. Defense was not enough. They now needed to train spies and informants to better improve its information network and skills as saboteur. In a secret meeting with Edgar, a new school was established in South Figaro. It would be tasked with the goal of creating the best undercover agents the world would never know. Their insignia was designed with the darkness and strength displayed by a dragon shrouded in mist. Only the King and those in the school would know of its existence. Its participants would perform some of the most dangerous work that Figaro needed, and no one else would be any the wiser.

The school would be called Shadow Ops.

It opened roughly thirteen months after Kefka’s fall. It had already been open for three months when Kingsley and Dixon took their seats around Locke at a pub in South Figaro.


	3. Locke, After the Fall

Sixteen months ago, life was a lot different for Locke.

Kefka had just fallen, and the heroes had begun to go their separate ways. He had decided to vacation on the eastern coast of Nikeah. He was ecstatic that Celes wished to join.

He had met her before the world’s destruction. She had been an Imperial general awaiting execution for treason. Locke broke her out hours before the reckoning. Even in those awkward first days, he had felt something in his heart call to her. It didn’t seem out of the ordinary at the time: he had always prided himself on helping damsels in distress, continuing penance for failing to do the same for a former lover. In her beautiful blue eyes, however, he had seen a pure soul tortured from the conflict of her Imperial ideology and the tangible results across the world. When he had just met her, he wanted to help her push past the dissonance and find harmony. He just never knew that, after a period of time, he had begun to hope that he could provide that balance.

They had become close over the journey to end Kefka, yet never more than close friends. The vacation changed that. The two discovered desires for each other that they had been too scared to act on thanks to shackles of the past. In Locke’s case, he had been too scared of abandoning his former lover. On those few days on the coast, however, he stopped denying the yearning his heart exhibited, and much to his relief and happiness she harbored the equivalent inside her.

For the next three months, the two routinely traveled to each other. Celes had wanted to settle in Maranda while Locke returned to Kohlingen. The separation drove him crazy, and eventually, in an episode involving spilled wine, clumsiness, and laughter, he convinced her to share her Maranda cottage. That was the first night that he told her he loved her, and the first time he heard it back from her. The bliss continued for the next three months, as Celes continued working in the civil sector to rebuild Maranda while Locke would spend occasional trips to collect treasure that helped him renovate the cottage and also afford Celes extra luxuries to use in her line of work. Locke always marveled how easy civil service came to her, and just how influential her opinions had become. Esteemed guests would routinely run up to him and compliment him on how Celes handled herself in the public sphere, and he would smile proudly. She was the love of his life, he had protected her, and now she was spreading her wings further to help a world still struggling in the aftermath of destruction.

It was when she decided to take King Edgar’s request as Magistrate for South Figaro that storms started to roll in.

First, it meant moving up in status for Celes, something Locke wasn’t jealous of initially; however, the elite of South Figaro were nowhere near as accepting of him as Maranda’s nobility. The first fight involved a South Figaro Councilman shaming Locke for referencing himself as a treasure hunter. Angry, he walked out of the party. He only became angrier when Celes attempted to remind him that, as a budding Magistrate, social faux pas could derail the good she wished to do the Kingdom of Figaro. He became his angriest later that night, on the couch in the living room, when he recalled she had spoken to him less like the woman who was madly in love with him and more like the general he had once saved.

Second, the fights continued to get stronger one afternoon, about two months later, when Celes found Locke outside in the backyard working on the extension to the deck that overlooked the ocean. It was a project he had started for her when he wasn’t on his now much less seldom excursions for jewels. He had begun to miss those days, and one day earlier he and Celes had had a small dispute over getting her to agree to just one getaway. Today, she had decided to ask of him to begin formal training in something that “didn’t send him out in the world alone and at risk.” He knew she meant treasure hunting, and that started the fight. Accusations became nasty, ranging from her anger at his longing to leave South Figaro to his assertion that she had decided to continue pushing up the civil ranks in the Kingdom to spend less time at the house he was renovating for her.

The fights seemed silly when they would eventually calm down and talk everything out. There was no doubt in his mind how much love each shared for the other. Discussions about marriage had started forming, and promises of seeing each other more once the Kingdom was more secure seemed to make Locke happy. After all, he said to himself, Celes deserved this. She had risen quickly throughout the ranks, and was allegedly being considered as Vice Chancellor of the South Figaro lands. And he knew her limits were still far away.

Still, the more she ascended the civil ladder, the more he felt like he was watching her disappear from vision above him. He was now done with a new dining room, but meals at the house came few and far between. The social gatherings usually found him aloof, unable to contribute serious dialogue to social and government issues that Celes and her new council shared over brandy, Celes’ new liquor of choice. It used to be a special Kohlingen wine that the two shared together whenever they dined, but now that seemed part of a life long gone.

All in all almost twelve months had past. Then, in one weekend, it all fell apart.

On Sunday morning, the couple celebrated their upcoming cruise to Jidoor. Right before noon, the Chancellor of Figaro showed up at the house. Celes had been selected as Vice Chancellor of the South Figaro lands. She was to report to King Edgar’s counsel by morning Tuesday for an emergency session. Locke, of course, smiled as Celes began crying tears of joy as he held her in his embrace. This had been her dream for the last two months, and the decision being two months earlier than expected only reinforced her stated belief that her struggles had been well rewarded. He immediately began making lunch to celebrate her success, selecting her favorite stew as the meal of the afternoon.

Instead, she insisted on going to a posh South Figaro bistro. Locke had trouble remembering what exactly he said at that time that made her face drop in shock and then turn into a gaze filled with rage, but he knew it involved a sarcastic reflection that his home cooked meals no longer suited his Vice Chancellor. Then the shouting began, his ears filled with the continuing perception that she was the primary breadwinner and that she thought they both shared a dream of rebuilding the world. He remembered the final part of this confrontation in perfect detail.

_Rebuilding the world? What happened to the time you used to spend helping me build ours?_

_Locke, that’s unfair! You know I do my damndest to balance my life! That I would do anything to show you how much you’ve meant to me. I can’t control this current situation!_

_Yes you can! We know Edgar personally! Tell him that you will join after our trip to Jidoor!_

_Locke…_

She calmed down suddenly, and began to look at the ground and weep.

_You know we will have to reschedule this, I’m so sorry… we were looking so forward to it. I promise we will do some travels as soon as I learn the post._

Locke had closed his eyes. He had felt her stop crying and look up at him, hoping for his usual gruff but accepting resolution. He pondered what had happened, that day, the last few months, that year. This position ensured at least six years more of civil service, and that meant at least six more years before a family he wanted could come. That meant six more years of wondering if marriage was now more for status in her eyes. Worst, it meant that for six more years, he would be constantly reminded by all of the Figaro elite, vice Celes, King Edgar, his wife Terra and brother Sabin, of what he now believed he truly was.

He was nothing more than a bottom feeding treasure hunter. Everyone close to him had moved on in grandiose ways, and his desires no longer held any priority in his own home.

He finally opened his eyes, their grey tint more somber than he had ever felt them. His voice never felt so defeated, lifeless, and monotone.

_Celes, I’m sorry, but I’m just having trouble believing that “we” were looking forward to this._

He saw her face immediately begin to break down. Her blue eyes started to become a blur in his mind. He didn’t say another word, got up, and left their house. The brand new arches in the doorway glistened with beauty in the distance.

Locke eventually found himself in a pub. The gil he had in his pocket paid for many drinks for him and several people who had become his “friends” that night. They didn’t judge him, and they didn’t pry into his shattered life. One finally invited him back to her room, and that caused him to huff and exit the pub.

He guessed it was almost midnight when he returned to the house. He had no clue what Celes had done, and he didn’t even know if she had chosen to stay up. Her routine had made her too tired for conversation past nine, and he surmised that by being gone for the past nine hours drinking, she already knew he would be under the influence by the time he had come home.

To his surprise, the house looked… spotless. It surprised him because he had been the primary housekeeper over the past several months. He made his way to the kitchen, fixed himself a sandwich, and ate in silence at the dining room table. When he finished, he cleaned up and began to put away his belongings when he noticed a piece of paper stuck under the hilt of his favorite dagger.

_A note from Celes_ , he assumed to himself, as he took the paper over by a lit candle and began reading. It read:

 

_Locke, my love,_

_I am hurting inside tonight. I hurt tonight because of your accusation that I have grown distant and away from you. It hurts because nothing could be farther from the truth! I know that my obligations have made things tough recently, but please know that I do so with the strength and love you give me, and I would never betray that._

_It also hurts to know that I’ve caused you so much pain. You’ve been so patient with my working life and have put up with more than most people have ever had to. I can’t stop but remember how lucky I am to have you in my life, and sad I make you feel like this._

_I promise we will soon be able to branch out of South Figaro again. The world has become crazy, and I will fight that craziness as best as I can. Once that is done, I can’t wait to experience everything it has to offer by your side!_

_I hope you will be willing to talk more tomorrow._

_With all of my heart,_

_Celes_

 

Locke finished reading. He looked up. No tears came. No emotions showed themselves. Only the reasoning portion of his brain spoke up. _The world has become crazy, and I will fight that craziness as best I can._ Locke sunk into his chair. In his heart, he knew the world may never be calm. The Kazen threatened to the north while Utok had been applying pressure to the south and east. Celes could probably make a lifetime’s work fighting the new evils in this world. Even worse, he knew she’d want to. Now she had an influence and a voice to effect change that the Empire had tried to silence a long time ago.

And that meant being trapped into a life he had grown to reject.

He stared at his dagger. He had owned it for nearly four years and it rarely left his side when he left the house. He recalled times alone in the world, picking pockets and finding artifacts the wealthy paid dearly for. He began to pine for those times again, where life was simpler and made sense. It was a time where his skill set made a difference in the world and filled him with life. The dagger called to him, encouraging him to scavenge for new deposits of emerald ore atop Mt. Zozo. He began to nod, the unsettling conclusion forming and settling in his mind.

He sank into his chair further. He wouldn’t wake her. He wouldn’t even risk retrieving his other clothing from his closet in the bedroom. He knew the movement would wake her, and he didn’t want her to see this decision that night. Instead, he stood up, collected the belongings he had just discarded, and shifted over to the bookcase where he had kept a secret gil stash in case of emergency. He counted it quickly. 4500 gil. Not too bad at all. It would be a start.

He then paused, and sighed. He had to see her one final time.

He had learned how to creak the door open and not wake her. Tonight was no different. There she lay in bed, the far side, rolled away from the door. That was her normal nighttime sleeping spot. His spot mirrored hers right next to her, arm over her hips and stomach and close enough to let her happy breathing lull him to sleep. He watched her from a distance. Sadness now filled his soul, though he did not cry. He simply thought about how life had played its cards with them.

_Celes, you’ve grown so strong. Perhaps stronger and more influential than I had ever thought possible. It also has meant that you’ve outgrown me. I guess I should have seen this coming for some time. At least I will have no regrets. I protected you, and with it the world now has a bright direction._

_You are strong, and I know you will be strong enough to endure this. Your friends will support you. Our friends will help you move past this. Don’t worry too much about me, for I’m sure I will find my footing somewhere in the world._

_Goodbye, my love. I guess ours never stood a chance to reality._

Locke finished his thought and stare, and slowly closed the door, making sure she didn’t wake. He knew he had succeeded again. He then returned to the dining room table where the letter now lay. Something in his heart told him to keep the letter, but he decided against it. He felt he had no use for it. Instead, he placed the two tickets he had purchased for the cruise to Jidoor on the letter.

He closed the door and walked away from the house. His mind now focused more and more on Celes. The more he tried to remove the image, the stronger it became. Then, he stopped. He felt both a wave of sadness and relief fall over him.

There she was in his mind, crystal clear everywhere except for her face.

_No turning back now._

It was one in the morning when he got to the fringes of South Figaro. It would take several days through a cave and over some mountains, but soon he would be at Mt. Zozo. Celes wouldn’t be awake for another four hours. He would already be through the cave and on chocobo heading to the port where the ship he now wished to board would be waiting for him.

They had once dreamed of endless possibilities, but instead they had become another failed shot for the stars. At the time, he tricked himself with this thought.

_No regrets._

 

The next four months took its toll on him more than he could imagine.

Once on Mt. Zozo, he set up camp. Through small towns and townsfolk, he had overheard little from South Figaro and instead much more on the worry Utok was causing. He lay back, free from the world’s pain for once, and relished his situation. No one could hold him back, and no one would cause him worry again. Now was the time for rediscovering himself and his treasure hunting edge.

It took several days, but eventually his trusty dagger found exactly what he was looking for. After digging into what seemed ruined limestone, Locke saw the green hue of the ore he had been hunting. All in all, when he left that portion of the cavern, he now carried almost forty pounds of emerald ore. In his mind, he was giddy, for this would fetch a price in the tens of thousands of gil in Jidoor. He’d even get reasonable offers in Zozo if he chose a shorter trek. Eventually, he split his payload between both and left the region with upwards of 60,000 gil. To avoid spending extra on food, he also left the city limits with some extra illegal rations in his pocket, a welcome treat that replaced the space the ore had made.

For the next few weeks, he trekked all across the outskirts of the Figaro Empire and the neutral border towns. He remained successful in his endeavors, refocusing his skills in thievery and reading people. The money began pouring in from finds, heists, and gambling. How he had missed this. Celes had seemingly enjoyed it at the start, too…

Celes.

He’d devastate her if she knew what he had become again. Thankfully, she’d never know.

Locke sat in a saloon in a small town outside the Coliseum, another winning fight as his current alter ego, Thief of Hearts. Her memory occasionally came and went and had normally left him with nothing more than a smile. This time, it filled him with an unexpected sadness. He felt her staring over his shoulder, a judging frown on his face. This startled Locke, for in this situation he began to feel a pain he never expected to experience.

Regret. But why?

Then he focused on a new thought: perhaps he felt guilty for not sharing his new wealth?

That made sense. One of the aspects of Celes’ job he had come to enjoy was working in the community and helping those who were down on luck find small ways to pick themselves up. Their smiles made him smile all the more.

He then looked across the street from his chair, and he discovered what he would do. He got up, took all of the gil he had accumulated that was excess, and walked into the New Hope Orphanage. Once inside, he found the headmistress. He dropped 98,212 gil on the counter and simply said, “Make sure the children get good use of this money.” When she began sobbing thanks and requested his name, he smiled and said, “Anonymous will work for today. Good day, m’lady.”

And out he walked. His next direction would be south toward Kohlingen. His successful efforts along the way would go to the West Side Orphanage located near the town center.

_Anonymous_. That was how he had been spending the past three months. Pseudonyms flew like they did in the old days. No one seemed to recognize his disguises and very few ever caught his face while he picked their gil clean in the street. One day, he even saw Setzer and walked past while Setzer seemed oblivious to his new purple-hued disguise. Locke chuckled when he counted the 24,000 gil the man in front of Setzer used to have on him

He was almost 500 feet away when he heard that man curse loudly. He saw him angrily confront Setzer and laughed when saw the resulting knockout Setzer landed on the man’s right cheek. He was working at his peak now. He was a phantom, and he reveled in the great treasure.

All in all, he raised more than 550,000 gil for four orphanages. Seeing the children cry with happiness gave him a sense of accomplishment. After all, their lives seemed the most uncertain in this dark world, and his chance to celebrate kids of his own had passed. Now they could enjoy a break and feel like royalty, if only for a little while.

Sitting outside a tea shop in Maranda, Locke smiled. It had been three months, and he had effectively cut all ties with the life he used to have. It was liberating. Even more, he felt he was finally helping the world much like Celes was most likely doing. He imagined her face again, and she appeared. _Look what I’ve accomplished on my own,_ he proudly thought _._

Then her image frowned at him, and to his horror, it spoke to him.

_Locke, my love, where has the honor gone that you once held?_

What the hell, he thought. _My old lifestyle is suddenly without honor? It seemed to turn you on only so long ago._

She remained frowning. _You used to use your skills to overturn evil. You used it to stop an Empire and a madman from ruining this world. Now you steal from innocent people. Giving the money away might make you believe you are a good man, but you are not, Locke Cole. You’ve become a bottom feeder._

Bottom feeder. It was the worst thing anyone could call him. He sat there stunned, gazing off into the distance where her form had just been. It disappeared.

“Wait, come back!” he shouted. Suddenly, she reappeared. She still frowned.

_You never gave me the closure I deserved. I will happily repay the favor here._

She was gone again.

Locke looked around in a daze. The words cut right into his heart and pain poured into his muscles. There was no use lying anymore. She saw him perhaps better than he ever saw her, and he had a knack for finding a person’s tells. Her memory had looked at him and told him the ugly truth. He had left her, most likely confused and angry, and had not given her the ability to eventually mend her broken heart. His chance at treasure had led him to abandon his principles. Treasure hunting suddenly disgusted him.

He walked across the street to the pub. Two Utok soldiers leered at him as he walked past them refusing to notice their insignias. He knew the dance not to allow them to suspect he was part of the rebellion in the city walls. He sighed, pulled out gil for three, and bought them each a glass of brandy. They warmed to him immediately and thanked him for supporting the regime.

He smirked and drank with them. Then he realized he had picked brandy. He looked at the glass and wondered to himself. _Who is this man I see who’s looking back at me?_

He closed his eyes. No amount of gil for children could make up for the regret he now felt. He was wrong the night he left. He had not protected her. He had betrayed her, and after so long away, he felt he couldn’t go back again. This was the bed he had made.

_Regrets. This is the feeling I’ve tried to subdue for three months now. What have I done?_

He bought three more shots, downed them in rapid succession, and passed out at the counter. The soldiers looked on, feeling bad, but then the moment was past and forgotten about.

The last month was spent in an alcoholic stupor and even one or two jails in southwestern mining towns. His judgment began to falter as his booze-filled mind ruined his normal precision in simple heists. While he was successful in most days, the nights found him at whichever pub or saloon was closest, drinking brandy and treating people so that he could believe he had friends again. Then the morning came, reality set in, and he sunk further into the abyss within his mind.

His appearance had changed drastically. His slender figure had formed a gut for alcohol and the muscle tone he had developed building his dream house had started fading. His eyes sunk back into his head, dark circles forming in his eyes. Sleep rarely came to him, for he would be jolted back awake from nightmares of her. She would stare over him, frowning, saying nothing yet reminding him of his failures and self-loathing.

Finally, one day, he made a decision as he neared South Figaro. If this worked, she would never know what he had done and would never find out. No one would be stupid enough to go into the Koltz mountain pass this time of year to find his body. All he needed was to buy two potions that, when mixed, were lethal. He knew how to get both in South Figaro.

Walking through streets he once knew so well, he smiled weakly. His appearance had changed so much that no one recognized him. His hair was longer, the silver darkened by the dirt and soot he had called home the previous night. His disheveled appearance made most people try to avoid contact with him. Once a phantom, always a phantom he supposed.

He found his mark quickly. An older, taller gentleman who had flashed a wallet that looked like it was made of emeralds. That would easily be pawned for what he sought.

From here it was muscle memory. He found a crowd big enough to make his switch. His hand was in and out of the man’s pocket while he talked to a man dressed in similar garb. In the next split second, his other hand flashed a pouch full of soot he had estimated would be the same weight, and it soon took its place in the pocket.

The man didn’t notice and continued walking away. Locke smiled. His estimation was right again.

He moved into an alley to inspect his new treasure. The black market would go nuts for this, he thought. It was near flawless emerald on the outside, except for a small silver sphere seemingly embedded into one side. He then opened it up to inspect it further, and his jaw dropped.

Roughly 15,000 gil lay inside.

He smiled, and quickly concealed his new victory. The potions cost him merely 1,000 gil. Now, he could drink and toast his life that was soon to end.

He then looked around and found a pub he had used to drink at when he was poor and the world hadn’t died. He knew this pub well. He knew it would have that special aged brandy that he could never afford.

He walked in. He was the only one inside, except for a bartender who didn’t even look up. He pulled out 5,000 gil from his wallet. “Lady Maranda, pink.”

The bartender slowly looked up at Locke. He was now a lot more interested and suspicious. “You’re sure, sir?”

“Aye. And a glass.”

The bartender counted the money and seemed confused, but it was all there. He shrugged, reached down into a safe, and soon had a beautiful bottle on the counter.

“Lady Maranda, pink. Thank you, sir.”

Locke didn’t reply. He opened the bottle with ease, poured his first shot, pounded it, and waited for the burn to finish.

Then he looked sad again. _To me_ , he thought. Then he looked at the wallet a little longer, thanking it for giving him what he needed. In two days time, it’d be over. The rest of the wallet would be stealthily placed inside South Figaro Orphanage later that day.

He placed the emerald wallet into his pocket. Had he stared at it just a little longer, he would’ve noticed that the silver ball had turned red.


	4. The Interview

“Bloody hell, I’ve no clue when it could’ve happened,” Kingsley said, as Dixon flicked a switch.

“Well, you wanted to scout that disreputable section of town.”

“I did, and I clearly missed the talent even though it was right there.”

Dixon sighed. The switch lit up a beacon on a screen in the room they were in. The screen read TRACKER TRACKING. He studied a map next to the screen. “Ye Olde Pub at Berklee.”

“Hmm, I wish the thief had better taste. Let’s go catch him, then.”

 

It had been almost an hour since he had been looted. Kingsley walked eagerly back to the neighborhood of Berklee and now stared at the pub. Dixon shifted uncomfortably, staring at a portable TRACKER monitor and trying to see if a red orb in the screen started to move. He never liked when Kingsley got like this. He especially didn’t want to go on a run for a common crook. If he didn’t fit the mold like Kingsley hoped, then he’d be forced to lock up another bum into his prison, never to be heard from anyone again. except the King.

Soon afterward, the two men were sitting next to Locke, getting his attention.

“I beg your pardon son, but we need to talk.”

Locke groaned, trying to divert attention from his pocket. “Sure, I guess. How can I help you?”

Kingsley smiled again. “You have something of mine, and I’d like it back please.”

“Sir, I’m not sure who you are, so you must be mistaken. All I’ve got is what you see.”

Kingsley chuckled, filling Locke with dread. “I see that. You’ve also got a 5,000 gil bottle of brandy to your side. Lady Maranda, pink. Excellent choice for a bottom feeder who’s fallen on hard times.” He looked at the bartender. “We’re going to have to borrow your back room for a moment.”

Locke saw the bartender nod in understanding. _Shit_ , he thought to himself.

He was suddenly cuffed and in the back room.

 

Locke attempted to size up his new adversaries. The taller one, Kingsley, seemed less of a physical threat but most likely had excellent reading capabilities. His partner, Dixon, looked like he could wrestle three bogeys with each arm, but also only seemed capable of one thought at a time. Both seemed very proper and well groomed in a set of uniforms that he had never seen before. Who were they?

Locke tried to then assess his situation. He had already stealthily begun using his secret lockpick to begin disarming the shackles that now bound his hands behind him, out of sight from the two men. Escape seemed possible if he could surprise Dixon. At this point, it didn’t seem like they intended to hurt him for some reason. Escape still had to happen, though, he decided. Capture in South Figaro would eventually lead him into King Edgar’s chamber, and he could not fathom his former colleague finding him like this. Worse, he knew Celes would find out, and his capture would certainly ruin all of the hard work and successes she had made.

Luckily, these two men didn’t know who he actually was. He could die in here, instead, and hopefully save some embarrassment.

Locke kept picking. His moment of reckoning would soon come. He then heard the quiet _click_ indicating he had succeeded. Now he only needed the right moment. And he reasoned he’d have plenty, for the two men still hadn’t noticed.

Dixon was holding Locke’s jacket, seemingly not interested in searching it. He was instead typing on what looked like a transmitter. Locke had heard of them from Celes. Figaro had developed technology based on sound transfer that allowed messages to be transferred over long distances from one transmitter to another. Only the royalty and military were authorized them, so she claimed.

Finally, Dixon touched something in his ear. “Aberdeen is confused, but he’ll have your request processed within ten.”

Kingsley smiled. “Excellent! Now let’s see what we can find in this jacket.”

The search took Dixon relatively little time. Locke observed him, remarking that he certainly was skilled in leaving his prized jacket in tatters. First, the wallet came out, and Dixon handed it to Kingsley. Locke caught a quick glimpse of the silver orb glowing red. Instantly, he thought of the new tracking technology that Celes had also chatted about. She was not particularly fond of it, for she didn’t like the sinister uses Figaro had debated as how to best utilize the technology. Perhaps such as this.

A tracker in a wallet… something definitely did not make sense now. Locke raised an eyebrow unexpectedly. This scenario seemed more confusing now.

Kingsley noticed the movement but said nothing. He opened his wallet, looked inside, and beamed a proud smile.

Dixon next pulled the dagger from inside the jacket. He shrugged and threw it at Locke’s feet. Locke stared at it, even more confused. _Why would he toss my weapon back at me?_ At the very least, he now knew where his hand would first go once he planned to launch his surprise attack.

Finally, Dixon revealed the two potions. Kingsley read the labels, then his smile disappeared and immediately focused on Locke. “Interesting potion choice. Excess brandy drinking might’ve done the same trick.”

“If you mix them for me now, you could save us all some time.”

Kingsley laughed. “My boy, what would be the fun in that? I’ve much to learn from you, I think.”

“I don’t think I’ll be teaching much today.”

Kingsley pulled up two chairs. He and Dixon sat in them and stared at their prisoner. Locke couldn’t help but notice Dixon’s disinterest. “I apologize if this isn’t your thing, threatening bums in bars.”

Dixon was taken aback, but then huffed. “I’ve gotten used to it.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Dixon sighed. The man in front of him had an eagle eye, and he knew it. “Can we just get on with the interview please?”

“Of course!” Kingsley stood up, staring above Locke now. “My boy, what is your name?”

“Anonymous.”

“Well, Anon,” Kingsley started, “I’d like to present you a business opportunity.”

Locke was still too drunk to hide his stunned look. “Huh?”

“My dear bottom feeder…” Kingsley noted the sting Locke felt from it, “I come to you today with a chance of a lifetime! No more need to steal from the hard working, excellent training and benefits, and in your case I’d say you could even learn how to shower!”

Locke rolled his eyes. He no longer cared that he wore his emotions blankly.

“Anon, please take this seriously. I am offering you the chance to be more than you could ever dream to be.”

Locke steadied his muscles. He was ready to launch his attack, but he was still confused. He wanted to figure that out first. “So you staged yourself out there?”

“Absolutely!” Kingsley beamed. Then he looked back down at Locke, his mannerisms beginning to creep out his captive. “So far, my group has found limited success in recruiting from the top universities in the region. Times have changed, my boy. The world’s deterioration requires Figaro to catch up with its enemies faster than it is capable of doing.

“So I decided to open up this opportunity to citizens who demonstrated capabilities that could give them the ability to pass our training program. My boy, do you know how long it took me to find out you had taken the wallet?”

Locke started to not care.

“Thirty two minutes, by our tracker’s records! You bested two top valedictorians by almost fifteen minutes a piece! Such stealth, thievery, and disregard for social order is something I can work with!”

Dixon sighed. He wasn’t much for reading people, but he already knew Locke seemed uninterested. “Sir, he clearly does not care. I think all we did was delay him from a date with death.”

Locke turned to him, now smiling. “You don’t have to delay it if you don’t want. I know that stealing from royalty, elite, or military is punishable by death.”

Kingsley suddenly shouted. “No, no, no! No, that will not do!”

Locke returned to studying Kingsley’s face. It felt strange, but somehow everything he had said seemed sincere.

“Our kingdom’s safety is paramount, and that involves ensuring her people feel needed. This is her way to do that for you!”

Locke suddenly had a twinge of curiosity. “I’m sorry… Kingsley, is it? I think you’re boring me at this point. You talk too vague. Let’s start from the beginning. Who are you?”

“Nigel Kingsley, my boy! And this is my security head, John Dixon. We represent a secret agency of Figaro.” Then he winked. “More information will have to wait until… ah, here it is!”

Suddenly, a device spat out three pieces of paper. Locke had never heard of this one from Celes.

Kingsley seemed unfazed by anything, and oblivious even more. “Our standard introductory one year tour of duty contract. One month training guaranteed, and missions almost every week. You’ll be fighting fit in no time!”

Locke focused a stern look on the tall man. “A mercenary force?”

Kingsley seemed hurt by the question, even hamming up a fake knife through his rib cage. “My boy, I normally don’t miss this bad on my expectations for my applicants…” He returned to his chair. Suddenly, Locke had a genuine look of concern in his eyes. Gone was the playful look in Kingsley’s eye. A much more serious expression now pierced his eyes. “Surely, my boy, you understand the nature of our organization? Please don’t lie to me.” He then leaned in toward Locke’s face, a sinister look in his eye. “I don’t take kindly to liars.”

_Just lean back, and you will be thrown into Dixon_ , Locke thought. He remained stoic, staring right back.

Kingsley then furrowed his brow, and Locke saw what looked like a spark in his eye. Kingsley then chuckled. “Not bad, my boy.”

“See? Told you I’m not a bad guy.”

“Oh, but you are. I want you for the group more than ever now! Dixon, please tell me you know the specific time he broke his shackles.”

Locke froze in time. _How in the hell…_

Kingsley finished the question. “How? Easy. You’re not the only man in the world who can read people.” He kicked the dagger to the corner of the room.

Locke didn’t move, but defeat entered his eyes.

Kingsley smiled. “So long as you don’t try to move toward the knife, you’re free to gesture now! Simply brilliant skill!”

Locke remained still. _I really don’t like this guy._

Then, the machine spit out two more pieces of paper, then two more.

Dixon grumbled, “My gods, four sheets of previous conduct?”

“Sounds good to me! Our new boy is experienced with law, I give him that!” Kingsley quickly perused the new sheets. “Hmmm… he might be the Thief of Hearts, Jack Jackson, Love Cole, or he apparently donates to orphanages as Anonymous. Anonymous is about as close to a real name as I can tell.” He then looked up at Locke. “Was the last nine thousand destined for an orphanage too?”

Locke felt more defeat. Where in the hell did this information come from?

Kingsley smiled. “Seems an acceptable way to burn your last gil. Anonymous, I thank you for supporting South Figaro!” He put the paper away and placed the first three sheets in front of Locke. “Now back to the heart of the matter. If you want to be called Anonymous, I don’t mind in the slightest! You can go by Bogey, Kefka, Utok Scum, or even Lisa if you wish! The point is, once you agree to these terms, no one in the world will know you exist!”

Locke had started reading the paper intently when that last phrase echoed in his mind. _No one in the world will know I exist…_ Rather than ask Kingsley, he decided to continue reading. The trouble was the contract made no sense. “Mr. Kingsley, I don’t follow. This sounds like I am giving up society to pull mercenary missions in Utok.”

“It’s not that simple, Anon. Stop thinking that we are mercenaries. That brings an unflattering image. Why don’t you go back to the question that just flashed in your head instead?”

Locke suddenly grew cold. “Where in the hell did my information come from?”

Kingsley smiled. “I’ll chalk up your struggle to engage to the brandy. My boy, we’re not mercenaries of old. We are stealth warriors, engaging the enemy in acquiring information at impressive speeds and paces. We need field agents that can deflect the enemy, sneak in, take the information we seek, and deliver it to us. South Figaro’s protection rides on it!” Then he focused on Locke again. “And to what piqued your curiosity earlier, yes you will not exist, except on paper in our records. The only ranking member of Figaro privy to information on our missions and its members is King Edgar himself. And even there, he knows pretty much only of our numbers and missions at hand.”

Locke knew Kingsley wasn’t bluffing on that point. Still, his head swam. Just a little while ago he had openly decided to take his life. Suddenly, this seemed like an interesting position to take. Was he simply impressed with Kingsley’s reasoning skills? Did he want to learn more about the information network that had apparently found him in the Coliseum?

Suddenly, he stared further. _Protect South Figaro._

_Protect Celes. Help her succeed._

_And she’d be none the wiser._

Locke’s breathing slowed. Kingsley smiled further. He knew his strange technique had landed him a prospect dripping with potential.

Locke then looked up. “Two questions.”

“Ask away my boy!”

“First, what happens if I don’t sign?”

Dixon spoke, “You stay in our jail for robbing government officials. There will be no record of you in this regard as well, though the King will probably oversee your death.”

A meeting with Edgar ruled that out, though by now Locke had suddenly gained a bit more charisma.

“And you can promise me that not a single other person will ever find out?”

“My boy, your past sins will not come hunting your scalp. I cannot legally give you a 100% guarantee, for paperwork always brings inherent risk and we must embrace that. Per procedure, though, only our agency will know you. I take it this means we have a deal?”

The twinkle in his eye had returned. It wasn’t much, but something swelled up inside him. He had abandoned Celes and had nearly ruined her run in the service. He knew he would never be able to provide closure to her, even though that was not an option anyways. Now before him lay an opportunity that he had never really expected or thought would give him such determination. He could help support Figaro, and by extension her. The sigh that he felt did not escape him when he realized why these feelings welled up.

He could now see her face again, her beautiful blond hair and blue eyes with a sun in the background. He saw her tall, slim frame glowing from sunlight. He immediately recalled his hallucination in Maranda, where he knew his regrets and how he had handled his departure. It wasn’t much, but it was at least something to help stop evil. It was something to help push her dream of a better world forward. It was something he could do for the woman he loved.

_The woman I love._

Locke grimaced for a moment. Kingsley quickly interjected.

“Such will be the nature of your new tasks. You escape your sins, but you also lose access to the saints. Company policy, I’m afraid.”

_Damn, he’s good._

Locke began signing his name. Locke Cole. He then turned the pen over to Dixon. “Wouldn’t want to be kept with a weapon I suppose.”

Dixon rolled his eyes. Kingsley laughed. “I see you filling with your cocky normalcy, Locke my boy! Eh, hmm…” he quickly reviewed the previous paperwork. “Dixon, please inform Maddie I expect an explanation into how ‘Love Cole’ found its way here. I’d like to know if that was a misprint or faulty intelligence.”

“That one worked at the Opera House outside Jidoor,” Locke said, smiling.

Then, he felt a needle in his neck. He hadn’t noticed Dixon had shifted to his side in swift haste. He began to lose control of his limbs and suddenly felt heavy, yet fully alert.

“Rule number one, Locke my boy,” said Kingsley, his tone now more professional. “Everyone else will be your enemy. You no longer proffer anything about yourself that is truthful. You no longer engage others when it detracts you from your objectives.” Then he leaned into Locke’s face again. “The anesthesia will render you unconscious in roughly thirty seconds from now. Can’t have you figure out where your new home will be by feeling your movements through streets you know. Security policy.”

Locke couldn’t believe how sharp he could see, as if the only part of his body continuing to work was his mind.

Kingsley then shot him one more smile. “Welcome to Shadow Ops, Locke Cole. I expect great things from you. Remember, protect the darkness to save the light.”

Shadow Ops… then darkness.

 

Locke fell into a trance. Suddenly, he was awake again, the sounds of snapping fingers bringing him to reality. He looked ahead and found himself in a gray room now. Kingsley was in front of him smiling. Two new faces flanked him. Their uniforms said UNGER, DANIEL and CORBET, SHANNON. His attention quickly fixed on to Corbet. She was unbelievably attractive, fit and snug in her uniform. Locke marveled for a moment. Had it been four months since he left Celes? Four months without any form of intimacy with another? Locke smiled again, this time proud of himself.

“Welcome to, my boy!” Kingsley said. “Daniel Unger will be your training lead. He’s responsible for getting you into a condition that leaves you ready for any and all missions we need completed. Your class specific instructor, George Lafell, will meet with you tomorrow. Shannon Corbet here will finish your interview and clearance paperwork. Please be as honest with her as you’ve been with me.”

Locke shrugged. He wasn’t sure if that was intended to be a compliment to his stealthy nature. In any case, Corbet grumbled at the remark, so he imagined she was used to people trying to deceive her.

Unger stayed quiet and simply shook his hand. Not with strength, Locke noted.

The interview lasted fifteen minutes. The toughest question was in listing residences over the past year. Locke reasoned that if they hadn’t found anything from his hobnobbing South Figaro’s elite, then keeping quiet about his relationship with a new Vice Chancellor was fair game. Besides, that information could be political disaster. He decided to leave that out.

His answer made Corbet stop typing. She looked up. “Why are you lying to me?”

Locke didn’t flinch. He was focused in. He could fool her easily, even if she had intelligence on her tablet suggesting otherwise. “Wish I was. Naming streets and slums isn’t the most shameful thing I could say, but it’s pretty damn close.”

Corbet shrugged. “Well, your clearance is then placed on hold for now. We will be looking into possible relation to a Locke Cole who used to share residency with a Celes Chere.”

Locke locked into the last part of the answer. ‘A Celes Chere.’ _Isolated from the world. They don’t know who their own Vice Chancellor is?_ He remained calm, confident that this would still work.

She closed her tablet. “Your training class begins tomorrow. Unger will show you to your sleeping quarters.” She then promptly got up, turned, and left the room.

Unger grunted. Locke looked at him. He definitely didn’t look very fit. “Locke Cole. Nice to meet you.”

Unger clearly didn’t waste time with small talk. “In one month’s time, you will be forever known as Shadow 15.”

He escorted Locke to a small room. Inside it, a bed was attached to the wall. The top had been opened, showing a compartment underneath it. It was filled with uniform items, books, and other tools. The clock on the wall read 10:30 PM. A mirror reflected the room from the opposite corner of the door. Nothing else existed in the room.

“The heads are out the door to the right, third door down. Showers are there too. I’d recommend one tonight,” Unger sneered. “Tomorrow you begin processing and grooming. Time is 0700 right outside your room against your door. Alarm clock is in your rack. Your bed is made, your uniforms are folded. Any questions thus far?”

Locke slowly nodded, taking it all in. Military training.

_I wonder if Celes would be proud of that?_

Unger then softened. “It’s tough here at the start. Kingsley isn’t really allowed to speak much to the matters at hand. You kind of have to learn your way. It’s also a training principle for our shadow combat.”

“Shadow 15 you said? Not a very high number. How long has Figaro been doing this training?”

“Three months now. Over 300 recruits have made it through.”

“So the numbering is just random chance?”

Unger closed his eyes. “No. We reuse the numbers as agents are pulled for whatever.”

Locke blinked. Unger was quite blunt. “Dare I ask how high they have gotten?”

“Highest I remember is 328.”

_Almost 20 potentially captured or killed?_

Unger shrugged. “It’s not easy work. We’ve already captured over 400 Utok spies and maybe 350 Kazen scum. No captures of ours yet. It’s the nature of the work. It’ll happen eventually. Try not to think about it too much. The training will help put your mind at ease. The world sucks, so get surviving.” He turned to leave, and then turned around again. “Thank you for choosing to serve Figaro. Protect the darkness to save the light.”

That was the last he saw of anyone that night.

 

Thirty minutes later, Locke lay awake in his bed. What had happened to him in sixteen months? From striving for eternal happiness to crashing down, then from a quick fix failing and dropping him to rock bottom, he now found himself in a covert organization that seemed to desire his skills. It was strange, but he felt like he finally had purpose again in this new world.

Still, one thing remained to do. He imagined her. Celes appeared again, this time not smiling or frowning.

_Celes, it may not be much, but just know I will be doing what I can to help you succeed in your dreams. I’ll protect the darkness to save your light._

Celes made no movement. She then disappeared.

Locke rolled onto his back, shaking his hand.

_Protect the darkness to save the light. How corny. And I’m already saying it_.


	5. Celes, After the Fall

Celes looked across to the other Vice Chancellors, agitated. Everyone had become much more irritable lately with reports of Kazen forces positioning themselves along neutral borders. “We shall return to the matter at hand, if you don’t mind.”

The three senior Vice Chancellors grumbled. They represented the lands around Jidoor, Nikeah, and Doma. Their combined importance and influence greatly outnumbered their newcomer equal. Yet here she was, once again trying to assert herself as the one in charge.

Doma’s Vice Chancellor sighed. Her connection to King Edgar had made her popular in the royal family. Soon, his hard work would be for naught as this form of nepotism pretty much left him at the pinnacle of a career he desired to further. “My apologies, Lady Chere. I had forgotten that your new found free time had led you to believe you could control our social time as well!” he snapped. Murmurs in the background now became audible.

Celes sighed internally. She had become used to the insults, but they still dented her facade. Waking up to Locke gone and nothing from him had given her a rough start in her new position, and while she had quickly grasped the administrative portion of her duties, she was often now cast aside in her new social circle. The other Vice Chancellors had used the political leverage to remind her that, as junior Vice Chancellor, she now had less influence in Figaro’s decision making than she believed she deserved.

She felt the memories return, as they occasionally did. She stared off to the wall. It would be no more than a moment in time, and it was best to let them run their course.

 

Sixteen months ago, when Locke said he wanted a break to the coast of Nikeah, Celes quickly found him alone on the _Falcon_ and told him she wanted to be there with him. Her nervousness to show her personal feelings in public still had a small grip on her, and she also did not want the rest of their friends to hear and begin their teasing and jokes. As much as she struggled to accept it, she had fallen for him a long time ago.

Her request clearly made him elated inside. She smiled. She was almost as good at reading people as he was, and she knew it made him jealous and excited.

The relationship was heaven on earth. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Life was a series of trips, treasure discoveries, and traveling between Kohlingen to see him and sprucing up a small cottage she had purchased in Maranda. They took turns cooking dinner. They chatted about anything and everything that came to mind.

She had never been this open with anyone before. A life as a general had taught her never to show anything that could constitute weakness. That skill felt irrelevant now. Still, it was tough to break the mold at first.

Then, Maranda and Locke both declared their desires to be with her. She shared her declaration of love with Locke, and grumbled as she took a job in Maranda’s planning division. She wasn’t pleased with returning to government work, but it did make sense and helped provide her with what she needed to get her cottage going. Maranda started to flourish again, even with the spectre of Utok overshadowing them, and that alone made Celes all the happier to know she could finally build a city with hard work rather than destroy one with ease.

Then, after a discussion with Edgar, she accepted his offer as Magistrate for South Figaro. It was a huge step up, and finally got her and Locke out of a city divided over the Utok menace. He seemed happy enough, she thought. It would bring them closer to their friends and also meant exciting new opportunities to help even more people in the world. That made her smile inside.

They agreed on a house, a gorgeous rustic rambler along South Figaro’s eastern coast. Her new salary was stretched, but she fell in love with it as soon as she saw it. Locke had clearly saw how important it was to her, and he quickly promised to fret less over expenses and instead renovate it for her and make it stronger and more beautiful than it already was. It would be a demonstration of his love, he swore to her.

Celes cried in happiness that night. Life couldn’t seem more perfect.

The first social gathering two nights later stopped that.

She remembered him storming out of the party. She remembered him recalling the barbs her new entourage had lobbed involving his less aristocratic line of work. She grumbled, reminding him that times were changing, and that he had promised to stop his thievery and excursions away from their new life. She also remembered, as she said it, that she had wounded him deeply. She knew her own critique was more damning than the one the South Figaro politician had made. She immediately tried to apologize, but Locke simply grumbled and went back inside to the party, flashing a fake smile right as he entered the room. That night, they went home, and rather than talk he quickly created a makeshift bed on their couch. “Night, Celes,” he said. And that was that. Celes went into their bedroom and cried herself to sleep.

That was he first time he had slept on the couch due to a fight, and she hadn’t even ordered him to do so. It was also the first time he didn’t insist on hashing out their argument before bed. Better to scream before bed than sleep silently, he always insisted.

That night was one of the longest of her life.

Soon, her schedule built up in almost unimaginable ways. Meetings, trips, gatherings, and work itself soon beckoned her more and more. She saw it as a necessity to keep the world sane, but she also saw it beginning to drive Locke in the other direction. Still, he seemed to smile to her and encouraged her to shoot for the stars. He had taken the lion’s share of cooking and cleaning, and the house fixing had produced new windows, a new kitchen, and a soaking tub she used on a regular basis. A deck and gateway arch to the front door were in progress.

She did see how unhappy he truly was, though, that his former job title had all but disappeared. She worried. Locke was a man that needed to do something that he enjoyed again. He needed to use his tools and cunning to a new end. She told him he should think about becoming an architect or engineer.

Locke dropped his hammer and began yelling, and she wasn’t prepared for that. By now, though, fighting had happened enough that she knew how it would run. He would accuse her of trying to end something that meant a lot to him, and that her job had kept them from taking a trip together, something she had desperately wanted to do but could not find time to do. Her response was rational and clear: she didn’t approve of him running off to other lands, risking life and limb, stealing and looting. It was no longer acceptable given their position in this world. She saw the fights cut into his heart, and they cut hers too. Worse, they ended in one of two ways: him taking all the blame and trying to end the discussion with no resolution, or him on the couch refusing to continue to argue.

 

Finally, at one function, she had had enough of the conflict in her life.

It had been more of the same that day. Locke had no intention of joining a pair of noble young men and Celes in a social function touting the new Figaro technology involving transmissions and tracking: they would inevitably devolve into telling him that he was a bottom feeder and not good enough for Celes. She had reminded him with a kiss that their opinion meant nothing and was lower than wrong. He then requested permission to remain home to finish the arch. The screaming started again. Celes decided to give him his way, and left for the party alone. She knew she would hear about this.

In truth, she didn’t care. Magistrate had been challenging, rough, and still had a long term of service remaining. It had caused many problems at home, ironically, while she battled for everyone else in the city. Worse, he had sacrificed so much for her, and she never had the time to show her how much it mattered to her. Her face became angrier. The man she loved more than anything in the world needed something to go his way. But how?

At the party, the two nobles and Celes began talking the technology. Celes was wary of shifting economic tax breaks to support transmitter technology. She was not keen on the nobles’ vision of being able to scout their enemies with relative ease. “I don’t support positions that support the distrust of our fellow people.”

One noble looked at her and laughed. “Tell that to your lover, Magistrate. Thievery pushes us to require this.”

Celes sighed. _Don’t push me tonight._

Then the other noble asked, “Speaking of the scoundrel, where might he be this evening? Truthfully, I was waiting to hear another whopper of a tale involving rubies!”

Celes pierced him with her stare. “He isn’t coming tonight. He feels ill and chose to remain home.”

The first noble suddenly raised an eyebrow and flashed a disingenuous grin. His arm was suddenly around her shoulder. “That’s too bad. Doesn’t realize what beauty and glory he ought to be treasuring right now.”

Celes didn’t move a muscle. The others in the room had noticed the discussion and had turned, curiously. She grew even angrier. They were staring and judging. She knew the majority shared the noble’s opinion over hers.

“At this time, I kindly ask you to pull your arm away,” she said coldly.

“Magistrate, magistrate,” he snickered, “don’t let me make you swoon or be nervous. Tonight, you know I am yours in all ways.” He then shifted his hand down closer to her right breast.

 _Wait for it_ , she told herself.

“I merely want to treat you the way you deserve to be treated. You’ve done so well despite the handicap of bringing that lowlife around. Together, we could create changes beyond your wildest dreams, and all we need do is cast off that bottom feeder.” People were almost cheering. He shifted his hand down that last inch as he finished his proposal.

Five seconds later, he was on his knees grabbing his throat, gasping for air. Celes had landed a perfect left elbow into his adam’s apple and had snapped his right arm behind his back, kicking his legs behind the knees, and forcing him into a kneeling position. She always enjoyed her self-defense training, courtesy of the Empire.

The crowd gasped. Celes didn’t acknowledge them. She grabbed her purse from the nearby table and walked past the other stunned and frightened noble. She didn’t even look at him. She merely spoke loud and stern enough for him to hear her as she headed to the door.

“Please tell your friend I’m not on the market, will you?”

The walk home calmed her down. It had become a gorgeous evening. She used the time to reflect on what had happened. A vacation had to happen, even if she still had a job tomorrow. She knew the nobility would call for a new Magistrate: she was to answer to them first and foremost, and that was probably not what they would want anymore.

She thought longer, about how she had placed her name in for consideration as Vice Chancellor at Edgar’s request a while ago. That request would probably be torn up now as well. Still, at this moment it mattered not to her. She was still seething from the encounter and had only one intention: to go home, bathe, possibly scream at the ocean, get ready for tomorrow’s schedule, and fall asleep.

She stopped, gasping. _My gods, all that planning and none of it involved Locke._

She started running home. She now felt even more horrible than she had a moment ago.

She gasped as she came up to the front door. There he was, working under candlelight, sculpting the last few feet of the marble arch. It looked more beautiful than he had promised. The same could be said of him.

“Ye gods, Locke, you’ve outdone yourself!”

Locke swung around, a confused look in his eyes. “Celes?”

She ran up to the ladder he was standing on. “That would be me,” she answered, smiling.

He immediately slid down the ladder and landed in front of her. They quickly embraced and kissed passionately. Celes felt herself swoon. Suddenly, he looked pale. “Wait, dinner couldn’t have been served yet. Hang on, I’ll prepare more stew,” he announced as he turned toward the house.

Instead, she tightened her grip on his arm. “That can wait.”

She saw his smile grow from the side of his face.

They spent the night naked and arms embraced, chatting about anything. Celes hid the truth of the night from him, lest she spend the rest of the night possibly bailing him out of prison for murder. Instead, she stuck with the other truth: the position had worn on her to the point that she no longer wished to be presented with the choices she had been. She wanted to go away for a while, just the two of them. He more than deserved it for how patient and amazing he had been, she told him.

He had smiled, but then looked down. She knew that look, and it made her sigh.

“Celes, please don’t make this choice just for me. I feel selfish now. I know I get emotional, but I also know I promised to help you see this through, and I can’t let you stop now just because the work is toughening.” He sat up, held her hand, and smiled. “If you can keep getting tougher, so can I.”

She knew she couldn’t refuse his self-fulfilling sacrifice. _One day, I won’t let you do this. I’ll flip the tables on you_. She knew the discussion had solved little, but at least it felt like the two still were destined for greatness together.

 

An awkward week of work later, after making plans for their trip, she had been named Vice Chancellor. The schism was made complete. She also recalled the final few details of the fight in perfect detail. She recalled how in that moment she had chosen work and her calling to serve the people of Figaro over continuing to work on her failing connection with Locke. She recalled his declaration that she had stopped thinking of them. It hurt, especially because she no longer could state with absolute certainty that he wasn’t wrong.

She remembered watching him leave that afternoon through the perfect arch he had made, its unflinching strength a polar opposite to the bridge between them that was crumbling. She also remembered that it never crossed her mind that this would be the last time she would see him.

Her afternoon was spent half in tears and half getting ready for her summons to Figaro. Then she looked at the house and realized she hadn’t even helped sweep in the last three weeks. She attacked the house with a voracity she had once felt on the field of battle.

By nine, she lay in bed. She had written him a note that would hopefully pacify him when he returned drunk later that night, but all she could think about was herself. There she was, suddenly a Vice Chancellor, respected throughout almost all of Figaro sans a select group of nobles. Her negotiation skills and details-oriented nature had helped keep South Figaro prospering in the face of so many uncertainties. She commanded respect among so many in and out of the kingdom. The yin to her yang, though, had showed her to be someone who had been willing to sacrifice the life and love of the one person who had stuck with her since the day he came into her life and saved her. Her lust in trying to correct her past sins had instead begun to create a new one right in front of her.

She was tired, and she knew she needed sleep. She forced herself to sleep, another trick compliments of military training. Tomorrow, they would talk again and she would find some way to correct the imbalance in her life.

By noon the next day, she was almost inconsolable. She saw the cruise tickets and the letter, obviously read. She didn’t see the man she loved, though. She could only read into the tickets as his decision to break free of her. Now, anger toward him began to fester.

 

A general’s training kept her going. It was now Tuesday, and she stood in front of Figaro castle after a two-hour chocobo trek including the longest bridge in the kingdom. She remained stoic and confident. She could always fall back on this to trudge through her first day as Vice Chancellor.

No, she couldn’t. There was Terra, the queen and one of her closest friends, smiling as she approached. She couldn’t help but smile herself. Terra had once been half esper, but that side of her disappeared the day Kefka was defeated. Since then, she had desired to become more involved with the world. She had also decided to act on her feelings for her companion Edgar. They had wed maybe six months ago. Celes was the lead bridesmaid. Celes had hoped to soon repay Terra the favor. She knew the conversation would soon come up. Terra always began their meetings trying to catch up on all of the gossip involving their group.

The two hugged. “Celes! I’m so happy to see you again!”

“Terra, I know! Four weeks has been too long. How is the king?”

“Same as always. Meeting with more groups about military action. Something now about a secret cult they want to start here.”

Celes laughed. She knew Terra didn’t care much for the nuances of being royalty, especially details on her kingdom’s actions. She had only wanted to be with him and help others. It was so genuine. “A cult, eh?”

“Whoops! That’s just my thoughts on it. Some man named Kingsley keeps meeting with Edgar to try and start a school on intelligence gathering. That’s where he is right now.”

“Edgar… I keep telling him that it’s a bad gateway toward a police state.”

“I know, but with the recent reports he just doesn’t know what to do.”

Celes sighed. “Which means he’s vulnerable to trusting the wrong people. Like dirty thieves thinking it’s okay to go out and steal or treasure hunt…”

Her face dropped. Had she really said that? Could she not hide the anger? At any rate, Terra caught up to her thoughts innocently as always. “Speaking of that, where’s Locke? It has been ages since I’ve seen him as well! I’ve wanted to catch up for a long time! He’ll love some of the Edgar stories… Celes, what’s wrong?”

She noticed Celes had begun to cry.

 

The royal assembly hall was empty, except for Terra, Celes, Sabin, Gau, and Shadow. Sabin had taken more of a role in the kingdom as Prince. Gau had started classes on English and monster lore, but he had normally retreated back to the Veldt. This day he had shown up to present more information on new monsters reported on the Veldt. Shadow had simply shown up because he could, and because Sabin owed him a sum for two spy bounties. Now they were all listening to Celes angrily recalling the previous months that had led to his sudden disappearance. Sabin had his arm around her for comfort. Terra held her hands with tears in her own eyes. Gau simply frowned. Shadow remained stoic, absorbing the conversation.

“That’s not like him at all,” Sabin grumbled.

“Not at all,” Terra replied, sadly. “Celes, if you need some time, Vice Chancellor Matz will understand and hold the position for you a little longer. He’s a sweet man.”

“No, I said I’d do this job, for the people. That is off the table. He won’t get that now.” She looked up, a cold glare across her eyes. It caught everyone off guard. They all felt nervous. The only one unaffected was Shadow.

It was time to go their separate ways for a few hours. Gau hugged Celes and promised to keep a look out for Locke. Sabin tried to assure her that he would return, that he was too smart to throw her away. Terra promised to continue their conversation later. That left Shadow. Celes always had trouble reading him. Perhaps that was by his design.

“I am sorry for your pain. Quite unexpected. I only hope you find comfort and relief soon.”

She looked stunned. He had spoken without prompting. That was a first. “I hope. It just doesn’t feel possible right now.”

Shadow sighed. She now knew he was holding his tongue. “Shadow, please talk to me right now. I’m so lost and confused and angry at him. I could use some words of encouragement.”

Shadow closed his eyes and tilted his head downward. “Cold silence has a tendency to eliminate feelings between people.”

Celes blinked, not expecting such a dark sentence.

“But I know your lives fit together. I’ve seen it. Hopefully he will again. Hopefully you will again.” And with that, he walked out of the room.

Celes stared into the wall. How could they fit again?

And with that, a maiden came in to the hall. “Vice Chancellor, they are awaiting you.”

 

Celes quickly surveyed the room, knowing she was viewed as an outsider. The other three Vice Chancellors had barely introduced themselves before turning away to discuss the most recent wrestling competition between Nikeah and Jidoor, and apparently Jidoor had won. The rest of the council was busy preparing for their morning meeting with the King. Vice Chancellor Matz sat behind her, his intention being to survey her this morning and provide feedback afterwards. Trial by fire, he believed, and it fit well in line with her previous training.

Suddenly everyone hushed. Celes knew what was happening and reflexively bowed to the throne. King Edgar had entered the chamber and was walking to take his seat at the front of the room. He looked so regal, yet he knew Terra had changed him, she thought to herself.

Edgar surveyed the room, and sat down. Everyone joined him in their seats.

“First and foremost, thank you all for coming. I know several had to alter plans to make the trip, and for that I apologize. Situations have arisen.”

The first to speak was the Vice Chancellor from Nikeah. “Chamber, I speak out of humility in front of His Majesty.”

“Formality is officially off the table,” Edgar replied, coldly.

This threw the Vice Chancellor off. “Yes, of course. Um, as I was saying, this morning I bring news of discovering a new Kazen battalion encroaching on the neutral towns around Hornata.”

Murmurs and gasps filled the room. _How dramatic_ , Celes thought to herself. He continued.

“Your Majesty, now is the time to finally dedicate resources to establishing more efforts in building counterintelligence and espionage agencies! Our people demand and need this!”

Cheers and applause erupted, except for Edgar, who seemed pained by the suggestion. Celes warmed her eyes. At least she and the king agreed on this one.

The Vice Chancellor of Doma stood next, the most senior of the four. “Now dare I ask where we shall find this funding? We cannot utilize our spoils on piddly little projects like parklands that get ravaged and ideas for counterintelligence agencies! Our people deserve intelligent spending first bred from intelligent discourse from their Vice Chancellor!”

Laughter erupted. Celes couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Did they really act pompous for the sake of acting pompous? Maranda and South Figaro brought the politicians together in civil discourses, and she had leveraged that for compromises that made many happy. This felt more like a circus.

Edgar tapped his chair. “That’s a little too far,” he said.

“My apologies. It just incenses me that people continue to expect more and more from this council yet he encourages it and refuses to increase taxes to pay for it!”

 _Wait a second, based on what I read…_ Celes flipped through her notes. She stared ahead, confused.

She didn’t realize the room had now started to stare at her. Had she done something wrong? Grumbles and laughter began.

Edgar stood up. “She’s new, and will learn formal procedure soon. Until then, maintain civility. Many of you commit the same mistakes over and over.”

That shut up the room. Celes collected her thoughts. She knew her mistake. By procedure of discussion, it had been her turn to speak on the matter and she had remained sitting and silent. She stood up, focusing her thoughts and voice. “I apologize, your Majesty, Chancellor, council, fellow Vice Chancellors.” She stopped for a moment catching her second mistake in elevating the council over her own position. She didn’t care at that particular moment. She just wanted this meeting to be over so she could continue talking with Terra. Maybe she should have taken up Terra’s offer on delaying the position. “I am Celes Chere, new Vice Chancellor for South Figaro, and I am humbled to be here.”

Doma’s Vice Chancellor suddenly stood up, shouting. “Formalities are off the table! Do you listen well enough?”

She immediately shot him her normal confident stare. _Oh no you don’t._ Her voice started to crescendo. “I apologize, but I do believe that merely means they are not required, not forbidden? As my first time speaking here in this capacity in front of the Royal Council, it simply feels wrong not to do an introduction.”

His voice rose next, “Wasting time is your priority then?”

“The noble refers to it more as respect. Dare I point out that this is the second time you have interrupted?”

“Earn your respect first.”

“Very well. To the matter of taxes, I tire of hearing you lie to this chamber, to chastise others when you spearheaded the tax veto last session.”

Gasps echoed in the room, then roaring laughter now aimed at him, who sat there seething through his beard. Thunderous applause now fell on her. She felt proud, even if but a little silly at the formal method of speaking she had practiced for this moment. Then he sat down silently, knowing he was defeated for now. His eyes told her he would jump again now at any chance to restore his honor. That battle would come later.

She then turned to the king. “Your Majesty, I share the same concern for our safety, especially when it comes to unprovoked military aggression.”

Nikeah’s Vice Chancellor suddenly jumped up. “The former general speaks the truth! Listen to her now!” Cheers and applause.

Celes smiled at him and then continued, “Our focus ought to be in readying our troops. If funds are to be had, our militias should be the priority. They will meet the enemy in the eye, not some wanderer afraid of his own shadow.”

Murmuring and discussion followed. Thoughtful voices echoed the argument. Celes sat down, hoping it was enough to turn the crowd away from the unsettling prospects of spy warfare. At the least, she had shown her support to Nikeah’s concerns over the Kazen and Doma’s hesitance to support rogues.

It was a good first speech, she had thought to herself.

The meeting ended an hour or so later. She was clearly rusty in finding positions in the trivial arguments the Council made high priorities, such as how much gold to use in a new statue. The argument lasted just as long for that as it had over the eventual compromise that money would be set aside for defenses, with King Edgar deciding how it would be spent.

She was the last to walk out of the chamber. She wanted to take it in. This felt good. She needed that right now.

 

Matz was waiting for her, smiling. “I dare say I’ve waited for someone to put his two faces into a grind. Simply brilliant!”

She smiled. “It’s a shame, really. He presented many fantastic points. I just wish he could get used to a young woman on the council.”

“It’s not the woman he’s scared of. It’s her influence and mind, as they rival his. He’s been the voice for so long, he’s not used to being properly corrected.”

“He makes it easy at times.”

“While that might be true, never forget that they are colleagues of yours. You will all differ on viewpoints, and will have to bury many hatchets. You all have to gain something from your discussions. He’s simply the expert at getting the most.”

“Well, so long as the ground gained benefits the kingdom. Selecting this month’s royal cologne shouldn’t come to near blows next time.”

Matz laughed. “I suppose you are right. Still, they passionately fight for the people in there as well. I do hope you understand that passion in a subject is a boon.”

They continued the debrief. He gave her some pointers and some ideas for phrasing and argument formation. Then they turned to see a page.

“Vice Chancellor Chere, the King has summoned you to his study.”

She smiled. Long ago, this meeting would have ended with her reminding him she wasn’t interested in him. Thankfully, Terra had fixed that character flaw.

 

The study was huge. Books were immaculate and went as high as the raised ceilings allowed them. The elegance made her head spin. She always loved this room.

Suddenly, there he was. A smile flashed across his lips. “Has it really been almost a month, Celes?”

They hugged. “Your Majesty, it has been too long.”

He pushed away, laughing. “By royal decree, you are secured from that formality.” She laughed. “You did very well for your first time. Don’t mind Doma. He’s just salty that you were selected over his nomination. Once he sees that you two share passion in this kingdom, he will warm to you.”

“I never expected to pick it up. Figured I was too young.”

“The council respected your passion and spirit. And your elbow, apparently.”

Celes stopped smiling. She hated recalling that night. She knew the Council would talk forever about it. “He deserved it.”

“Yes he did,” Edgar replied, “and the Council applauded him finally getting what was coming to him. They appreciated your willingness to break tradition for the sake of what was right. They rewarded you with the same courtesy.”

Celes now felt pain swelling inside her. She knew she was about to continue that night’s story on, back to the house, and he would be back in her mind, helping the anger return.

Edgar saw this and quickly bit his tongue. “Ah, yes, sorry. I apologize. Terra already told me. I didn’t mean to bring Locke up like that.”

She knew he was sincere. It didn’t matter. She cursed Locke’s name and slammed her fist into the side of a bookcase. He stepped back, lost in his own thoughts. When she calmed down, he placed his hand on her shoulder and faced her, smiling.

“Regardless of where you come down on the decision, Shadow has a new bounty for him.”

Celes forced a smile. She knew Terra had pressed the issue. She also knew Shadow had no chance to find him, yet he accepted the task to do so. He was concerned, and that made her feel warm inside to match her vitriol. “I hope it included a broken leg or more.”

He then took her hand. “New Vice Magistrate, I must beckon you to our dining hall. Terra is waiting, and I know I will hear it for a while if I delay your arrival anymore!”

She huffed and instinctually pulled her hand back. That gesture was still reserved for Locke and Locke only, for some reason. _That will change_.

 

Lunch was delicious as always. The conversation was warming and jovial. The three sat there, reminiscing of old times. Celes marveled how Terra’s personality had changed. Her sweet optimistic eyes had slightly altered into more of a sarcastic side. She had clearly learned how to point her finger at Edgar whenever his flirtatious side popped up, even though it had clearly become more of an inside joke for the king and queen. Yet Celes smiled as she felt the undying love each felt for the other. She had changed him for the better. He had helped her grow out of her shell.

The conversation finally shifted to Locke. Celes marveled at how steady she was talking to them about it. That was aided by the trust she had in both. They sat, listened, and comforted. Celes even laughed when Terra slammed her fist down, promising to box his ears the next time he saw her. Edgar and Terra were of the same mind that they believed Locke was simply pining for a life that made more sense to his ways. He was stubborn and chivalrous, perhaps to a fault, according to Terra, and this setup hadn’t warmed to him yet. He’d be back as soon as he realized how stupid he had been.

Celes appreciated the optimism, yet in her heart she had started the acceptance phase. Something inside her told her it was over, and that he would never come back. Even worse, she now recalled her own guilt in her role in this outcome. She sat back and sighed.

“I never got a chance to talk to him about it one last time.”

Terra nodded and gave Celes a hug. “It’s so strange, nothing like him.”

Edgar snorted. “I’ve known him for so long. Never thought I’d see the day where that damn thief would throw respect out the window.”

“Edgar, that’s not entirely fair. My work wasn’t exactly respectful to him.”

“My gods, Celes, then why the hell didn’t you tell me to hold off on the appointment?” he suddenly burst out, anger in his voice. He caught himself, wincing, but it was too late, and he now expected a backhand from Terra. Celes simply stood there, shocked at what she had heard. He looked down, pained. “Celes, I apologize. That was uncalled for. I spoke out of frustration, and you don’t deserve that.”

Celes suddenly felt alone. She turned and left the dining room.

Terra then turned away. “I’m going after her. We will discuss this later. Celes!”

 

Terra caught up with her. They were now overlooking the desert from a parapet. All Celes could do was stare off into the desert. “Edgar’s right, you know.”

“Celes, that’s not true. You know that.”

“I always chose the job over him. I asked to postpone our vacation for this meeting.” Terra stopped. Celes saw the shock take over her. “I think I drove the nail into the coffin he had started building himself.”

Terra stared at her, sadness taking over. Celes remained stoic. It was time to be a general again. “I won’t blame you if you look down on me as well.”

“No!” she shouted, startling Celes. She looked at Terra, her eyes now full of determination. “I refuse to do that! Forgive me, it’s not fair that I wish to grieve the disappearance of my first true friend in your presence, given how much he meant to you.”

Celes began to breathe heavily.

“Celes, I don’t know what he’s doing or why he’s being so immature. But believe me, I know he wouldn’t change just like that. He wouldn’t abandon you, not with how much you meant to him and how much he loved you. I don’t know why, but I just believe he will find his way back to you. Back to your light.”

Celes chuckled and shook her head. “Thank you for having confidences in this. Right now, I just can’t share your optimism. And that’s because I’m not happy with my choices.”

“Then ask Matz. Please.”

Celes sighed. “It’s not what you want to hear, but as of right now I think this job is what’s going to keep me moving forward right now. I don’t have the wherewithal, luxury, or the wilderness experience he has to go trying to find him. At least this way he’ll always know where I am, if he has the guts to show himself in my presence again.”

Terra sighed. “It would be wrong of me to try to change your mind. I’ll support you, Celes. You mean too much to me. Just know that I wish you’d reconsider.”

 

It was now evening, and Celes was preparing to return to South Figaro. A new set of meetings awaited her. As she was mounting her chocobo, she recognized a familiar odor. She grumbled. “I told you, I see no point in discussing fragrance like that.”

Edgar chuckled from behind her. She set her feet in the stirrups and looked at him. “Safe travels this evening.” Then he dropped his head. “Celes, I truly apologize for my outburst. I had no right to be so angry.”

Celes sighed. “Yes, you did. I just kicked your closest friend to the curb.”

He shook his head. “No, I’d say you both had a hand in kicking him out.”

Celes grumbled. “I suppose I can see that.”

He then opened his eyes. “It’s just so strange. You are both close to me. I refuse to take sides here. I only want both of you to find happiness somewhere again. Neither of you deserved to be defeated by the pitfalls young love presents.”

Celes reflected on that. She didn’t want to admit he was right. She bid him adieu.

She returned to her house late that evening. Nothing had changed. He hadn’t returned, but seeing the cruise tickets made her reflect on her anger.

 

She learned the job and nuances fast. For nearly five months she remained under Matz’s wing, a request he had made when he had heard of her heartbreak. “You shall not walk this path alone,” he insisted. She was grateful for that, especially because her shining star had withered within the Council. She felt alone, her desires for the people slowly being shuffled under a group who now openly threw money at the military. She was the lone dissenter when Edgar announced his intention to enter into a partnership with a man, Nigel Kingsley, whose presence chilled her in their one meeting. Edgar called it an advanced defense program, but Celes saw through it. Figaro had entered the shadows to spy on its neighbors, and she knew that carried with it the extra risk of severing already soured relations with Utok and the Kazen.

“Who on earth would ever volunteer to do something so dangerous and gutless?” she asked Terra.

“I honestly don’t know. I don’t even get to know anything about it. Edgar chose to keep himself out of all decision making, except for approving missions that were of some white coding.”

“Plausible deniability, I bet.”

“No, I can tell he hates the program. He never even liked putting the militias in position to risk having conflict. This goes against everything the kingdom used to stand for.”

“Then why do it?”

Terra sighed. “Honestly, this may be just how humanity is destined to repeat its follies. Edgar’s new favorite saying is that we have to adapt to change.”

“Sounds like the perfect school for Locke.”

She stopped herself. _Why in the hell did I just say that?_

Terra looked nervous. “Oh gods no! This new program is scary. We don’t even get to know their names. They basically live as shadows of Figaro. Their director says the motto is ‘protect the darkness to save the light.’ It’s cultish and frightening. That’s not for him at all!”

Celes shrugged. Her suggestion seemed farfetched. “I know.”

“Celes, I know you still miss and long for him. I still hope for the day Shadow drops him off here, bound and gagged, with Sabin ready to pound him in the ribs for what he’s done.”

Celes giggled. “And saves you a piece, I know. You’ve practiced that a bit too much.”

Terra didn’t smile. “It’s frankly unacceptable. I’d have eventually forgiven him for shutting out the rest of his friends so long ago, if he had done it for you. He doesn’t even get that anymore!”

Celes thought about it. She had waited five months and two days for him to show himself. “And for some reason I’d take him back, no questions asked.”

Terra smiled. “I know. Your dedication to your passions makes me so jealous. Oh no, look at the time! You’re late for your meeting!”

Celes finished her brandy. “Guess I’ll need this then this morning.” She heard Terra laugh. “Off to my adoring friends.”

 

And in a moment, she was back in the Council, the brandy still on her mind. Doma’s Vice Chancellor still stared at her. Despite her lack of support, she always enjoyed the sarcastic banter with him. It kept her on her toes. The pain would eventually subside. It was now her one joy in this chamber.

“Apparently the people’s desires don’t have the influence I do.”

The roar of approval was music to her ears. Even Edgar was laughing at that one. Her opponent smirked knowing the war of words made them both happy. They finished the session. This time, she had scored a small victory for South Figaro’s fishing community. She lost again in the vote to expand defense spending for nonmilitary programs. She heard Matz reminding her that everyone had to win.

As everyone left, Edgar walked up to her. “Celes, I have a request of you.”

“Go ahead, your Majesty.”

“That is _still_ secured, lest you continue to refuse a direct order.”

“I’ll take my chances. What’s going on?”

“I’ve been requested at a meeting with Lord Alma. I wish for you to join me.”

Celes grumbled. The Kazen. She hated the stories she had heard from the kingdom. She hated Lord Alma’s guise of diplomacy. She hated her open vitriol against Edgar. Mostly, she was horrified at the reports of how the Kazen treated its Utok prisoners of war and the informants they captured. As much as she despised the same people, the torture methods suggested made her shudder. “Edgar, I must protest. You know I risk using my tongue to damage the fragile relation we have.”

“I know. That’s why I want you there this time. Specifically, that elbow.”

“Doma deserves this one.” She then heard Edgar chuckle. “What’s so funny?”

“He recommended you.”

She stormed off to find Doma’s Vice Chancellor. She found him just outside, relaxing. “A word. _Now._ ”

He looked in her direction, shrugged, and got up. “I am busy, I hope your word is short.”

“Lord Alma, really?”

A smile settled over his face, finally understanding what the conversation was about. “Ah yes, that discussion with Edgar. You are the natural fit.”

“I don’t support her rogue methods or her barbaric ways.”

“Of course not. But you, like her, were raised with Imperial teachings. You both prefer military efficiency in your policies. Your sarcasm is perfectly suited for her manner. She will respect Figaro more once she knows you.”

Celes grumbled. “Sounds more like you’d rather place the fall of Figaro on my words.”

He then looked angry. “Lady Chere, I will tell you this once. I love Figaro, the entire kingdom. I will defend it to my death. We need the Kazen to support us without military aggression, and we need to diffuse our tensions. The rest of us have failed. You are that chance to reforge our diplomacy.”

She continued to leer.

“In any event, there are other consequences of that,” he continued. “Edgar has agreed to support the South Figaro mining renovations because of your trip.”

She felt her jaw drop. “You were against it.”

“I was against the shifting of funds. But this is more important. The Kazen are more of a threat to Figaro than the exploding aquila population around my lands. I volunteered to withdraw that stipend to support what I guessed was your top priority.”

It was the top priority. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Well, that _is_ a first,” he chuckled. “At any rate, I hope you see that I understand the great challenge ahead of you. You deserve something for that. Just remember, I will defend Figaro with my life. With that passion, I know that means you’re the best fit for this.”

Her face now had both pride and irritation. “I hate it when you argue well.”

“As do I hate it when you do,” he laughed. “But I know you share that passion for Figaro, so I will always respect you for that.” He then closed his eyes. “I do apologize for my outburst on your missing love. That went too far. Your retort was flawless and well earned.”

Celes smiled. “Just another hatchet to bury.”

“Good ol’ Matz.”

 

She and Edgar left that afternoon to travel to New Narshe. It was lunchtime, and that meant her memories of Locke would return. Sometimes, it would involve his amazing chef skills. Occasionally, it drifted toward that Sunday afternoon when she had been offered this position. In any event, she smiled. He was still alive and well in her mind, and Terra had convinced her to remain positive. She closed her eyes.

_Locke, if you can hear this, please come back to me. I’m waiting for you._

It was the same request each day. Each day, it was ignored. It didn’t matter. She would remain strong.

Celes looked across the carriage cabin. Edgar was reading a dossier from an assistant. The cover had a logo of a dragon seemingly hiding in a fog. She had never seen that before. “Edgar, what is that?”

Edgar shut the dossier fast, his eyes not making a move. “Kingly stuff.”

“More like secret kingly spy stuff, I would guess.”

“Bimonthly report of numbers data from the Shadows.” Edgar sighed. He didn’t bother to hide the guise. Terra clearly had no regard for national security involving this program. “They’re graduating forty-five tomorrow, a new record.”

Celes was less curious now. She hated the concept of the school. “Even Locke would avoid that like the plague, bless his heart.”

“You mean bless the kneecaps he’d lose if he had even asked about joining.” They both chuckled. Edgar smiled at her. “We’ll find him. He can’t stay in hiding forever.”

Celes closed her eyes in agreement. She needed some rest. They were to meet Lord Alma that evening, and she knew she needed sharpness of thought.


	6. Shadow Boot Camp

_What the hell did I get myself into?_

Forty-one, forty-two…

_These guys are insane!_

Forty-four, forty-five…

_Thump!_

Locke grumbled, as did the entire group. One of the forty-five had faltered in their morning pushups. That meant the dreaded words of Lafell would be quick to follow.

“What? I didn’t know rest break had occurred! You all need a break? Figaro can wait for you…”

He forced himself to belt out “No sir!” with the rest and return to the ready position. _They had been so close that time_ , he thought.

Just another morning in Shadow Training.

He had been in the program now for nearly four weeks. Morning and afternoon physical fitness sessions beat down his body and had he ached all over. Classes, textbooks, and tests crammed into the daily schedule made his eyes bleed. Hands-on training was making his head swim. He had been a thief for most of his life, yet he never expected that someone would attempt to refine his art down to a cold science.

He definitely never expected the adrenaline rush that accompanied it. He smiled, awaiting Lafell’s thunderous order. “Begin!”

One, two, three…

_Ugh, what a waste of energy…_

From the beginning, the training had started strong and had not let up. Locke spent the first morning on numerous lines, waiting at stations to deliver urine samples and to be shot up with vaccinations. He also was bounced between many different personnel who would hand him logic problems and see how much he could accomplish in a short period of time. The second day started the real routine, where he began learning how to be a spy. He had no time to rest. He had very little time to take it all in. Yet, they continued to throw knowledge at him like it was water from a fire hose. And whatever he failed to drink, he was expected to lick up from the ground at the end of the day.

The meals had little taste or size. Still, they were precious morsels. Locke wolfed his meals down faster than the rest of the new recruits. When they first began their training, he would spend his extra time studying them, aloof. They all seemed to be getting to know each other, sharing their stories and sizing each other up. At first, they kept inviting him to join in, but he would politely decline. Locke didn’t see the point in that. They were being trained to carry on in the darkness, and that meant that personal ties would be dangerous. The youths around him didn’t realize that yet.

 

Still, one recruit always made him smile. She had been recruited from a prestigious Nikeah trade school with a fascination for disguises and jewelry. She was much shorter than him, younger than him, and her auburn hair stopped at her shoulders. She was scrappy, foul mouthed, and clearly didn’t take this seriously despite being adept at the training. She was the opposite of Celes in almost every way.

She was Finn. And to Locke, she was the closest he had to a friend there.

Another recruit made him smile. He was slightly pudgy, glasses close to the tip of his nose, and he always gave Locke an evil glare. This was not really his cup of tea, but damn it if he would ever quit. He coveted Finn, and wanted nothing more to show Locke up if only for the attention.

He was Stokely. And to Locke, he was comic relief and the second closest thing to a friend.

 

Every evening, at 2000, training ended for the day, and the recruits had one hour to relax in the common area. It had two pool tables, a dart board, some chairs, and a small library. Like the rest of the school, it had no windows. Locke had started to miss that a lot. But they were probably safe, deep beneath the bedrock South Figaro rested on. He spent his time reading from the library, even if they were mostly the same textbooks he was forced to look at during the day. Here, he could do it on his own terms, and the information stuck better.

That was his routine for the school. Wake, training, class, practicals, lunch, training, class, dinner, class, practicals, break, shower, sleep, repeat.

Eventually, even he was doomed to break out of his shell. That happened during break of day 7, and he guessed it was a Sunday. The usual recruit group resided in the common area. Several recruits were taunting each other over a game of billiards. Finn was arm wrestling some poor sucker, and several others found respite in cribbage. Locke of course took his usual seat by the library, drawn into the text for the day. They had learned today about the different Utok and Kazen military and operative uniforms. He had already placed them in his mind, but now he could sit back and admire their beauty.

He didn’t notice that she was now staring at him. He slowly looked up to see Finn standing there. “May I help you?”

“Sure can!” She held out her arm. “Gotta top everyone here tonight!”

Locke chuckled. “I forfeit. Congratulations.”

“Nope, not gonna work this time, Cole!”

She then grabbed his arm and attempted to lower it. She was shocked when she was suddenly launched over his head and landed on the ground between the bookshelf and his chair. Laughter erupted.

She picked herself up off the ground. She cursed, turned to him, and stared. The smile hadn’t left her face. “Not bad, Cole! Where’d you learn that?”

He focused again on his book. “I’ve been around.” He had barely moved a muscle.

“Really? I think I could get used to _that_ ,” she said seductively. More laughter.

That struck a nerve. Locke closed his book and headed for the door. “Definitely didn’t mean it like that.”

“Oh come on now Cole! Is it that easy to get under your skin? Maybe this ain’t your thing!”

Locke closed the door to the common room and went to his small room. He spent some time setting up his uniforms and turned to the mirror. He stared at himself, knowing he was still steamed at the insinuation. He had been proud of his loyalty to Celes. She had been his only love from the day he met her, and even after he had walked out he had no interest in finding someone new. He also felt silly, for he knew that it was relatively harmless jabs from a group that posed no threat to him. _Definitely overreacted._

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and a loud voice on the other side. “Come on Cole, open up!”

It was Finn. He opened the door and stared at her. She now looked less chipper, almost remorseful. She held out her hand. “I guess I crossed a line in there. Never intended that. Just wanna let you know I feel bad. No hard feelings, I hope.”

He studied her position, wondering if it was a trick. Eh, whatever. He shook her hand. “Water under the bridge.”

She smiled. “That’s more like it! Don’t know who she was, but she was obviously lucky to have a romantic sap like you.” She then disappeared down the hall.

Locke pondered that, then chuckled. Finn was going to make a damn good Shadow.

The next night, the group reconvened in the common area. More of the same was going on. Stokely and Finn were chatting, and everyone else had decided to see just how many books it took to cover Rolly’s body. Locke focused on his technology text. Suddenly, the conversation shifted in a bad direction: politics. Insults and attacks were launched. Suddenly, the crowd stopped and stared at Locke. He was now laughing.

One recruit didn’t take it too well. “Something funny, Cole?”

“Yes indeed. Here we are in a fortified bunker, training to support Figaro, and all I hear is whining about a noble’s hairstyle, the Chancellor’s buck tooth, and something very unflattering about the king’s endowment. Just struck me as hilarious, I guess.”

Finn spoke up. “So what’s wrong with having opinions?”

“Nothing at all. Politics is more than just a goofy outfit, though.”

“What more would you know?”

Locke slumped his shoulders. This was not a conversation that would end well. “You got me, I wouldn’t know much more about the nobles than you all.”

Finn pressed further. She had caught him again. “Methinks you’re lying.”

“Wish I was too. Then I could end this dumb discussion.”

“So was she a politician?”

Locke shot up out of his chair and stared at Finn. He had to deflect this now. “No she was not, okay! She was a lot better than those fucking imbeciles!” Finn started laughing. “What’s so damn funny now, Finn?”

“You. You make a big speech about not to talk politico, then insult them to elevate your girl.”

Locke rolled his eyes. He had done that, in a sense. “Whatever.”

“Yep. Have a good one, Cole!”

He heard the raucous laughter as he left the room and retired for the night. At about two in the morning, he woke up. He had been having a nice dream about her, too. _Insomnia stinks_ , he muttered, as he got up and snuck out to the common room again. He crawled back into his chair and read more about the new field transmitter they were going to use soon. Books had become his way to escape the building.

“The hell, Cole, you can’t sleep either?”

Finn startled him. He hadn’t heard her come in. He grunted. “Guess not.”

“Yeah, I’ve been having trouble myself a few nights. Wanna talk?”

“I think you’ve said enough, Finn.”

“Oh, that,” she remarked. “Look, she’s clearly a touchy subject. I promise I won’t pry anymore. I guess it’s just that you’re so fascinating.”

She was trying to push conversation. Or flirt. Or something. Whatever it was, he knew she wouldn’t let him alone until he talked. She was going to make a damn good Shadow. “Fascinating?”

“Hell yeah! I mean we’re all school grads except you. Most of us knew each other on the other side before we got accepted here. The instructors joke that they found you in a pile of shit or something.”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Exactly. We all have this fancy education, yet we really know nothing about the world and how to do shit like this. You seem to know this by nature. This school has been a joke for you ‘cept for the exercise part.”

Locke smiled. “Yeah, I definitely have trouble with that.”

“I guess I ain’t known anyone like you. Your lady has been a cheap shot way to get to know you, since you’ve shut yourself in. Figured you didn’t honestly care since you weren’t too interested in us.” Locke looked at her and chuckled. Now it was Finn who was curious. “What’s your game, Cole?”

“Finn, you have an excellent capacity to read people. You’re gonna do great here.”

“Sure, but what about that makes you laugh?”

“You aren’t the only one who reads people here.”

Suddenly he felt her a little closer. She was looking right at him. “Try me.”

He shrugged. “Okay, I guess.” He started to peer into her eyes. They had a slight green tint. “Finn, you joined up here for a way to prove something to someone. I’m guessing it was family. You’d have preferred to go into acting or perhaps performing on stage, but a jilt somewhere along the line was enough. You had to prove you were better than them. That enough?”

Suddenly, she moved even closer to him. Her face was now maybe six inches from him. He shifted uncomfortably. “Continue, Cole.”

“Um, I’m a little uncomfortable right now.”

Her face didn’t change. “I know. I like that.”

“Well, I don’t. Sorry, you’re a nice kid, but I don’t enjoy this.”

She backed up, laughing. “Oh I know, that’s what makes you an easy mark!”

“That may be true. Doesn’t mean you push the envelope just for attention.”

She suddenly stopped. Her mind drifted. “He told me girls needed to stay in the kitchen, and our marriage would have to be traditional. I dropped him after a month with no regrets. Here I am now. Not your typical story, but hey it’s mine.”

“Only a month?”

“Well, yeah! How about you?”

“We made it to about a year.”

“Wow, very serious. What happened?”

Locke shrugged, now very sad. “I guess we grew apart. She didn’t approve of how I wanted to live my life.”

“How was that?”

“Well, I had thought it was out treasure hunting and looting. Turns out I may be good at them, but I was wrong.”

He looked up again. Finn had taken a seat next to him. “What was wrong?”

Somehow he trusted Finn. “Truthfully, I was.”

“Ah, you left, and then realized you wanted it back the way it was with her.”

“Pretty much. She went off to improve the world, and I found drinking and thieving.”

“Heh, bet that emerald pouch looked awesome to you!”

Locke smiled. “Yeah, yeah, it did.”

They continued to talk until four. Finn opened up as well about her life. Didn’t want to hold all the ammo the next day, she said. She had been part of a blue collar family that had pushed her to try law, something that could give the family status. She was even set to wed a man who had ties to the courts. His narrow minded view on her role in society had shaken that up. It had also caused her family to disown her. Luckily, the university asked her to consider an offer from a man named Kingsley. She was interested before she read the fine print. She agreed with Locke on how weird, creepy, and strangely magnetic his personality was.

Finally, they each snuck back to their rooms.

At eight thirty, Lafell separated the two from the rest of the recruits. They hadn’t considered that the common area might be monitored by remote transmission. Their punishment was a simple extra round of exercises. They smiled at each other as Lafell belted out numbers and insults. It had been worth it.

 

The rest of the school focused on their job. They learned their enemies, the Kazen and Utok. Utok was a simpler enemy in some senses: they acted on traditional rules, where capture meant hard labor until an organization wished to bribe for their release, or they simply tired of keeping you. They were more lawless, but they also had a much stronger network of intelligence and a better security design for their information. The Kazen, on the other hand, had not considered how to defend their information just yet. Their research labs clustered in old buildings easy to roam through. Getting information was simple. The tradeoff was what happened if you were caught. Figaro intelligence knew their authorized punishments ranged from Phase 1 to Phase 4, with each stage having different options and getting much worse as the number climbed. 4 was reserved for Utok soldiers who had been found to have killed any member of the Kazen, and informants from anywhere. Even the intelligence officer couldn’t offer more than that, only that from gossip, Phase 5’s pain depended on how fast you simply gave up and let death come in.

Next, they learned what tools they had for their job. Gathering information was not an easy task, so technology had been enhanced. First, there was the ETCH, or Electronic Transmission Communicator, Handless. It was a small earpiece that allowed the shadow agent to communicate with Shadow Ops headquarters directly via voice. To send information without speaking, Shadow agents also received the DATE, or Data Access Tablets, Electronic. They looked like simple tablets with button code that could allow the agent to send information to Figaro in the event that silence was paramount. Each device also contained a small pouch inside that, with the right button combination, sparked the pouch and forced the device to ignite to deadly high temperatures, practically melting it from the inside, until nothing remained. Testing that feature came in the form of recruits challenging each other on who could hold it the longest before letting go from the heat. Some random recruit won it: he held on for a shade after three seconds before he couldn’t bear it. He also ended up in infirmary for two days until Shadow Ops could figure out how to remove the dead skin that looked shaped like an ETCH.

They also learned about and built trackers. The technology had been around for a while. The new trend was smaller, lighter trackers that could be planted into skin without the victim knowing it, allowing Figaro to be able to follow people around. Locke seemed to like these the most.

The next phase was dedicated to the meat and potatoes of the job: undercover work. They learned about the tactical advantages of day vs. night, of crowds and solitude, and how to effectively utilize them. Self sufficiency training bestowed upon them the same skills Locke already possessed: using the environment to survive. That included people, places, and things. They also learned of the potential hazards each presented. They trained in manipulating voice and appearance, something Finn excelled at. They learned basic self defense and how to approach and disable adversaries. Next, the many authorizations and procedures used in the field were drilled into the recruits’ heads. These ranged from Procedure Alpha, permission to engage the mission, to Echo, a signal that they had exited a dangerous area. They also learned the worst case scenarios: SOS for emergencies, and Procedure Whiskey for inevitable capture. That procedure involved verifying data transfers and using the ETCH and DATE to burn all of their equipment, leaving the agent free of any connection to Figaro. They were subjected to requirements for handling various disasters and casualties. The job was easy when routine, they were taught. The challenge was handling the unexpected bounces of the ball life inevitably threw.

The recruits also had to practice their craft daily. Real scenarios presented them with challenges faced thus far by actual Shadow agents, such as how to quickly escape from a prison.

The area Locke far outshined all others in, though, was the logic problems. They were daily and developed the recruits’ brains to process large amounts of information without the aid of a camera or even a DATE if it was impractical. Thus, the agent could pilfer large swaths of data without having to take physical evidence from the crime scene. That made it much more likely that the adversaries wouldn’t even know they had been robbed.

Locke’s brain was nearly flawless. In one exercise, he removed a dossier from a mannequin without setting off an alarm, had it read, and had the data transcribed into his DATE without even causing a Sound Warning Alert. The dossier contained plenty of vital Kazen militia locations, each point complex. Locke had transmitted it all in roughly five minutes in a near flawless run. The school’s administration quickly caught wind of that.

Now, it was time to ensure he would even get his chance to help Figaro. There was the matter of that security flag.

 

One day, a man knocked on the door to Celes Chere’s house. He marveled at the gorgeous arch he now stood under. He waited patiently. He knew she was home.

Soon she came to the door. She stared at the man. He was a little shorter than her, and looked like quite the bookworm with book in hand. “May I help you?”

The man nervously looked to the ground. “I’m sorry for interrupting you, but I was hoping I could talk with Locke Cole?”

Celes started to sigh. “You’ve got the wrong house. No one here by that name.”

“Wait, miss, are you sure? I was told he lived here, up to maybe four or five months ago. Do you know where he might be?”

Celes stared at the man, now suddenly suspicious. “Really? Interesting tale. Well, he’s not here. No one is.”

The man lifted his shoulders in a big shrug. “Really, I am sorry ma’am, I know this is upsetting you. Was he close to you?”

Celes’ glare began to worry the man. “No one has ever lived here but me. You can leave now.” She shut the door.

He turned and walked away awkwardly. As soon as the house had been put out of view, the man stopped and ripped off the false uniform. Underneath, the man wore a black blazer with a dragon’s logo on the left side of the chest. His right side had a nametag that said BEAN, AARON. He was one of Dixon’s investigators. His walk was now a brisk, confident pace.

 

He returned to the school and found Corbet. “Just did the recon for that Locke Cole.”

Corbet grumbled. Bean always put her off. “So do I get to deny the clearance?”

Bean shook his head. “I’m afraid they don’t constitute a security risk. She didn’t even know who I was talking about. Best I can tell, she sits in her house most days.”

Corbet grumbled again. Bean had failed out of the school for a reason. He had never figured out how to acquire information properly. “That is of no help to me at all, Bean. Thank you.”

“Well, what else did you expect?”

“I expected more than conjecture. We are not privy to the outside world anymore! For all we know, this woman would rat him out at the wrong time to the wrong person!”

“Look, I know you and Dixon hate him. I tried to find something from her to negate the clearance. He doesn’t meet the criteria for the flag if he never lived there.” He sighed. “Kingsley is going to go to the moon when he finds out, and that scares me more than having to tell you he gets a clearance.”

“I just hate when people cover up information. I guess I can understand though. I didn’t want my ex to be caught up in this, either.” She shrugged, took out a stamp, and placed it in a box in Locke Cole’s security check. She signed next to it. It now said APPROVED. He was free for missions of all difficulties, providing he completed the school, and as Corbet assumed, based off his practicals, he would be looking at some of the most dangerous missions soon.

Kingsley read the paperwork and jumped with a big smile. “Locke, my boy, I knew you could do it!” he said to himself. Then he sat back and rubbed his chin. Must’ve been a big misunderstanding with someone else. After all, had he been _the_ Locke Cole and _the_ Celes Chere he had once been involved with, Kingsley was sure Locke would have never cleared. He trusted his security team, though. They understood the importance of thorough, detailed reports.

He now headed downstairs. The new class was getting ready for its final examination tomorrow. He never missed these two days.

 

_Thunk!_

Locke grumbled. Four weeks of knife throwing was not enough. He could not get a blade to stick into the target at all. Finn laughed, the blade bouncing back toward her feet. “Guess I can get ya in something at least!”

“You can have this skill. My gods, where does it go wrong?”

“Your follow through.” They turned. Lafell was there, watching them. “Didn’t realize you had the muscle coordination of a spastic colon.”

Locke wanted to laugh, but he didn’t feel like doing more pushups. He was also agitated with his inability to get even one knife into the target. “Just another try.”

“Cole,” Finn warned, “that’s gotta be your fortieth try today.”

“The odds should work for me eventually.”

Lafell held his arm out, stopping Locke from raising the knife. “Son, you couldn’t do it. That’s enough. You’re on break for now. Kingsley expects to see you in thirty minutes.”

“Sir, request to try one more time!”

“Fine, one more time. This time, finish the follow through with more of a snap downward.”

Locke held up the knife and relaxed his face and body. He closed his right eye, the left hand slowly positioning the dagger to its intended position. Then he wound up and released. The whole evolution didn’t even last a second after that. The blur went across the range and the knife found itself into the outside edge of the target.

“GOT IT!” He jumped, screaming.

“Not bad, son. Yet you got no points. That still constitutes failure.”

“Sir, with all due respect, I succeeded. I finally got the knife to stick. Now I can work on the aim.”

Finn cheered wildly.

Lafell chuckled. “I’ll never fault effort. But you both still just shouted into my ear. Misconduct to an instructor. Get to the ready.”

They were already awaiting push ups in the ready position, smiling. Before getting there, they had high fived.

 

“Finally got an official zero? Took you long enough, bitch.”

Locke chuckled. The recruit laughed and smacked his arm. Since his talk with Finn into the wee hours of the morning, he had opened himself more to the other recruits, and they had been appreciative of it. He was now part of their clique, a group of young men and women who felt pride in everything they were doing. Their behavior reminded him of militia mentality, a loose feeling required when a misstep could cause drastic consequences in the new landscape. The threatening world was still a couple of days away. Today, they could enjoy that they had endured the intense physical and mental skirmishes of the past four weeks. They had not let the weak be defeated by physical fitness. They had not the skittish betray themselves in interrogation survival. They had not let the clumsy be doomed by their inability to be silent. And after the last of the final exams that day, all forty-five of them would still be there, the first time in the history of the school.

They looked to him as an older brother, even though he had been blessed with the nickname “grandpoppy” due to a slight age showing on his face. He had found himself eager to help the others learn the art of duplicity. It gave him a sense of purpose.

His meeting with Kingsley had simply been the proclamation that his clearance had showed. The path forward had opened up.

“Hey, numb nuts, pay attention! They just called you into the evaluation chamber!” the recruit said, laughing.

“Whoops! Well, wouldn’t want to delay embarrassing you again, asshat.”

“Cheers Cole! Protect that darkness! And your ol’ bones!”

Finn had snuck up behind him. He turned and smiled. They performed the recruits’ patented handshake. “Finn, just promise you won’t be too mad when I best your score.” She smiled, and flicked him off. _Haven’t been this boastful and cocky in a while_.

He entered the blue doors in front of him. His final evaluation had arrived.

 

The test was a comprehensive evaluation of everything he had learned. Using his new intelligence equipment, he was to search for information for an imminent terrorist attack in South Figaro that Utok had planned. His job was to find that information and anything else of value, transmit it to Mission Control without detection, and escape without incident. His speed would factor into the grade.

In short, he was performing a mission.

He moved through the makeshift Utok security base, dodging cameras and mentally tracking the layout. He had but an hour, so he knew he had to grab and go.

It took thirty minutes or so, but he had found the information in two dossiers, one he had procured in a similar manner as he had procured an emerald wallet. He found a safe zone, pulled out his DATE, entered his data fast and flawless, and hit SEND. The data entry, due to the volume of information, took twelve minutes by itself. As he had planned his hour, this gave him fifteen minutes to escape what might be a more populated route, and that meant he had buffered time for his escape.

Then, his ETCH beeped. Mission Control patched through. “Excellent job, Cole. Now state the procedures to…”

He was quiet in his transmissions back, answering general questions about much of what had been taught. He was then ordered to rendezvous at a new location. He looked at his watch. He had nine minutes remaining. _Shit_.

He picked up his pace, still avoiding the numerous traps. Suddenly, he grumbled. The door he needed to go through was welded shut.

_What to do… ah, there we go!_

His brain had been focused and locked in. To the left of the door was a small aperture that would serve the same function. He took two glances around, saw his chance, and shot through the hole. He smiled as he picked himself up. In front of him was the door to where his evaluaters would be. He opened the door and entered the vestibule.

He stopped, confused. Kingsley stood there, smiling proudly.

“Not bad, my boy! I couldn’t be prouder of your efforts! Show me this plot against our city!”

Locke quickly flashed a sly grin. _Let’s keep this as real as I would out there._ He then marched right past Kingsley to the doors behind him.

Kingsley turned, now angry. “What are you doing?”

Locke didn’t turn. _Don’t let him see you again. Set his mind at ease. Just like they trained you._ “My apologies sir, case of mistaken identity I guess,” he said without making eye contact.

He opened the doors. From the darkness in the evaluation chamber, he entered a brightly lit room. Three Development Branch personnel stood there, finishing up notes on paper. They then held a quiet conversation. They all nodded. Then, the three looked at him.

“Cole, why’d you blow off our boss?” one asked.

“That’s the mission parameters. Everyone else will be your enemy. You no longer proffer anything about yourself that is truthful. You no longer engage others when it detracts you from your objectives. That’s how you survive in this line of work. Felt right to do it here.”

They remained motionless. Suddenly, one cursed, then the others. They began reaching for their wallets, and each removed 1,000 gil.

Locke raised an eyebrow, confused. Then he relaxed. He knew Kingsley had started to enter behind him. _This school certainly has heightened my senses._

“Rule number one, for the win!” Kingsley boasted from behind. He then walked up between Locke and the graders. “I take it from the gil that I win?”

“Sir, he tied the school record, 98.4 percent. He’s at least three percentage points above his class. And that means all forty-five pulled it off. So yes, you hit each condition.”

“The way I like it! They are improving! Our techniques are becoming stronger!”

Locke smiled. _Take that, Finn!_

One grader handed Kingsley the evaluation records. He then walked up to Locke and shook his hand. “Congratulations, you’ve stunned a lot of people here. Tomorrow, you join your class in the Assembly.” The graders then walked out.

Only he and Kingsley remained. “And they said my unorthodox emerald wallet couldn’t make diamonds!”

“Have to admit, I never thought I would enjoy this as much as I have.”

Kingsley’s smile dropped a bit. He was back to being serious. “Cole, my boy, soon you will be in a very dangerous world.”

“I know that, I’ve lived a bit in it.”

“Which is why I implore you to ensure a healthy balance between enjoying this job and being ready to handle the garbage it can throw at you. Too many recruits get comfortable with the rigidity the school has to offer. The world is random and chaotic, and can shock those who only view the world in one beautiful, optimistic lens. Help your fellow soon-to-be Shadows understand that.”

Locke beamed with pride. “Sir, yes sir!”

 

“Damn, guess I wasn’t even second then. The hell, Stokely?” Finn laughed, giving him a shove. “Shoulda been messing with you more, I guess!”

Stokely smiled. He had morphed into a rock solid physique. “No no Finn, you mess enough as is!”

Locke chimed in. “Pretty messy uniform to go with that,” noting some dirt smudges on her pants. He then absorbed the expected backhand. Celes had been his sore spot. Cleanliness was Finn’s.

“Cole, you wanna walk this path?” she demanded, half serious and half jovial.

Locke politely declined, and the three laughed. It was 8:20, and the common area was already empty except for the three. Stokely bid them good night, and left. Now it was him and someone who had become his best friend in the place. They were a natural fit, their personalities balancing a clashing style with a healthy sense of respect in the other’s cunning and covertness. He smiled. “I’m happy you made it through.”

“Cole, don’t make me blush. Happy you’re here too. Happy we are all here.”

“Yeah, didn’t need to worry about me. This was cake.”

She rolled her eyes. “Still acting tough, Cole? I like that sensitive side more. Come on, you’ve changed so much. You actually crave order and discipline now. Your fat ass has turned into someone who is now a smidge sexually attractive. Hell, you believe in this calling when you used to think this was just a way to pass time.”

Locke smiled. As always, Finn was right. He might argue the minutia, but she was right. He had changed. “Hey now, sorry I don’t have the sex appeal like you.”

“Cole, you _know_ you can have this whenever you like!”

“I’ll pass. As attractive as you are, I’d rather not have Stokely’s wrath on me again. Besides, I’ve already seen a goddess. Can’t top that.”

He smiled as they both laughed at their normal banter. He felt comfortable discussing Celes with her now. He knew how much she meant to him, and it now filled him with vigor to know he would finally be helping her strengthen Figaro.

Finn sighed. “Too bad the goddess can’t see what her lover has become. She’d probably swoon for life. Cole, you’re the type of guy who deserves that.”

“I appreciate it Finn. That Pelfrey would be in the mud begging you back.”

“Hah! Stokely would kick him down hard too. That’s why I love him. Dunno how long we’ll last, but it has been fun. Guess I like the muscles type.”

They smiled, and decided to retire for the night. They shared a formal handshake tonight. The recruit handshake would need to be replaced with formal Shadow honors soon.

Back in his room, he stared at his reflection one more time. He had changed _a lot_. His slender frame had been rebuilt with a little more muscle. His long, coarse hair had been groomed short, the grey now a dark silver. His drooped face now had vitality. His eyes had a spark and sparkle again.

His day was now more enjoyable with routine. He took pride in his uniforms. Delays irritated him. Efficiency was his goal. The Shadows’ goal was pure, and he was ready to help.

He also still had his sarcastic sense of humor and never feared his sensitive side. His covert lifestyle before had been overhauled. He was now a lethal force in the night and darkness. His passion for learning and reading ensured he would always be improving.

He smiled and thought of Celes. _Now I understand you a little better. This does feel a lot better than you ever made it seem_.

Celes…

The love of his life.

He swallowed hard. He knew that he was still not complete. Still, he maintained his determined look into his reflection, thinking about the last four weeks. He closed his eyes and imagined her.

_Celes, my love, I promise tonight that I will use my abilities to help Figaro. I promise to continue to grow into someone you can look up to. I don’t know what will happen when I find you after my eleven month tour is over, but I promise you that whatever you think of me and however you feel about me, I will respect it and accept it, and give you what you deserve most: the ability to find closure from me. I promise you this._

He climbed into bed and fell asleep. He had no way of knowing that a moment after he had completed his prayer, a former lover with blonde hair and blue eyes suddenly desired more than ever to find the man she had never stopped pining for.

 

The ceremony was early, and it was somewhat boring. The forty-five stood in formation, listening to pomp and circumstance that lacked in fervor. Development Branch spoke first, and then Mission Branch. Their new leadership sounded even worse, if possible. Then, a cheer erupted as Kingsley took his turn at the podium. He spoke passionately as always, proudly foretelling the amazing deeds they would accomplish in the world. He received a raucous ovation.

Then he had the recruits raise their right hands with left hands covering their hearts. They repeated after him:

 

_We are now, and forever, of the darkness. We will hold true to our desires to support the Kingdom of Figaro, to defend her from enemies near, afar, and from within. We have sworn to sacrifice society in order to watch her from above and below. We do this with willingness and without hesitation. By gods, we are blessed in our quest to stay silent when, as Shadows, we strike to keep Figaro’s glory strong in the face of her adversaries. Our new edict is thus: Protect the darkness to save the light._

 

Kingsley then held the room in silence. He finally shouted, loudly and with bravado. “Recruits, you are now Shadows!”

Forty-five voices went crazy with delirium.


	7. Life in the Shadows

“Really, Cole, a pub of all places?” Finn, Stokely, and another recruit named Waites seemed confused.

“We don’t have to drink. I just frankly don’t want to have to see people I knew before.”

Waites nodded. “I buy that. But you buy the first rounds, valedictorian!”

That was fair, Locke thought.

As reward for completion of the training program, Kingsley had rewarded them to enjoy one night of what South Figaro had to offer. They each received two hundred gil. “Would be more, but the second graduating class ruined that, and I probably still have to answer for the behavior at the brothel in West Town,” he had announced. Still, the chance to see the sun and how the city had changed initially excited Locke. Besides, they had been encouraged to wear their service uniforms, similar to the ones Kingsley and Dixon had worn they day he had met them. That meant an extra layer of protection for eyes he did not want to recognize him.

Before they left, they signed their confidentiality agreements. They would not speak of their job to anyone in town that day. Failure to comply would be forced removal from field duties and a career behind a desk down in the bunker. Then, they were released.

The group was clearly not ready for the sun. Losing it for four weeks had impacted them more than they realized. Locke found it strange that he suddenly found an aversion to its glow. Then again, he figured this was part of the goal of the training. Eventually, wandering around a city too expensive for the gil they possessed had lost its appeal. They wanted to go inside somewhere. It had to be affordable and fun.

Stokely had actually suggested it initially as a joke. And here they were, one of South Figaro’s numerous pubs. In they went.

The crowd inside immediately took notice of them. They had seen the uniforms occasionally in the past. They looked so fashionable and mysterious. Then again, the four clearly had no interest in discussing the meaning behind the dragon or mist. They took a seat and Locke ordered the first round of shots. They drank in unison.

Several rounds later, they were happily enjoying their fleeting freedom. Stokely and Finn, now without fear of reprisal, were enjoying each other’s company and lips. Waites and Locke took turns bragging about their knife and lockpicking skills. Finn occasionally jumped into Locke’s arms just to force Stokely’s look of shock that left the others laughing on the floor.

Eventually, they settled their tab and left. A few people had mustered the courage to ask about the uniforms, and they gave their same canned response involving the inability to explain further about it. They returned to a dilapidated building somehow preserved in a condemned area, careful to ensure no one on the streets a few hundred yards away could see them enter.

They went below, into the main gathering hall. Instead of turning left to Development, they turned right to Mission. They opened the gray doors and stepped inside. This was their new world.

It didn’t look much different than Development. “Train as you would fight,” Kingsley loved to say. The layout was almost identical to Development. They had been assigned new rooms in their new annex. Other Shadows stopped to congratulate them in coming over to the darker side. They found their rooms and settled in. Tomorrow morning, they would meet their new chain of command and finish processing.

Locke stared at his new ceiling. It looked a lot like his old one. His whole room did.

_This is what I’ve trained for. Tomorrow_.

 

One month of missions in, and Locke finally had to bear the brunt of friendly banter.

“Yes, Cole, the best way to evade Utok spearmen is clearly by swimming in pig shit!”

He sighed. “Well, I got the plans for their new squadron heading into the Cave on the Veldt. Strange place to set up shop.”

“And a pigsty isn’t?”

“Don’t question genius, my friends!”

“I question the sanity, Cole!” Finn smacked his shoulder. “And your new cologne. Go shower, dumbass!”

Locke finished his mission return ritual by giving her a smelly hug, causing everyone else to erupt in laughter. He then ran fast enough to get to his room before she could get revenge.

As he showered, he got lost in his thoughts. _Five missions. Three Utok spies caught, one Maranda uprising ended. Two rounds of battle plans captured. The Utok eastern strategy taken. Not bad._

He dried up, got dressed, and left his room to head to the common area. He looked forward to his day off.

He didn’t look behind to see a concerned Kingsley behind him. “Cole, my boy, we have an issue to address.”

Locke turned to face him. “Anything sir, what’s up?”

“I must prepare you for later.”

“Prepare? Sir, for what? I just submitted my debrief for this last run.”

“I understand, my boy, but this takes priority. You are interviewing with the king today.”

Locke did his best to hide his change of mood, though he knew Kingsley would see it. “I see.”

Luckily, Kingsley saw a different explanation altogether. “It’s strange, but he sounded so upset this time. I know code white plans bring him concern. This is the first time he has invoked his right to meet the shadow we chose. It must upset you to have little faith from our glorious king.”

_Makes me upset for more than just that._

Kingsley continued. “Sabato actually wanted a seasoned shadow for this mission, but sadly those he preferred are already on assignment. My boy, you’re about to join our elite.”

Locke still couldn’t believe he would be facing Edgar that day. He focused on the other business at hand. “So what’s the assignment?”

“Intelligence gathering. A deep cover agent found records revolving around something called the Extraction Project. It seems it is of extreme importance. I want to see for myself.”

“I’ve done intelligence gathering in the heart of Tzen. That didn’t even make code purple.”

“Ah, but this time you’ll be striking an intelligence archive in New Narshe.”

Locke processed that quickly. _New Narshe. The Kazen_. He now understood the reason for the coding.

“Truthfully, this should be code yellow at worst,” Kingsley said at last. “The Tzen depot was a much more daunting assault. This archive should be much simpler. The Kazen leave themselves much more vulnerable. And, the date selected is a New Narshe holiday, lowering their defenses further. Obviously, though, with our political situation, I had no choice but to elevate this. That’s why I need you to maintain professionalism and use your bravado to show the king that he has nothing to worry about!”

Locke stared at his boss. He had to verify something. “And you’ll be there?”

“Of course, my boy! I never want to abandon a Shadow in need!”

“Then you need to know something about Edgar.”

“My boy, we must address him as ‘Your Majesty’ or ‘King Edgar!’ Please do not scare me with that lack of eloquence.”

Locke sighed. There was no way to hide this now. His secret had been caught by Edgar, and now he was most likely destined to ten months of report making. “Mr. Kingsley, you need to know that Edgar and I know each other on a name-to-name basis.”

Suddenly, Kingsley looked shocked. “What on earth…” Locke then explained the connection, who he really was, his past, and his past relationship to Celes Chere, Vice Chancellor of South Figaro. When he was done, Kingsley looked more at a loss for words than he ever had. Locke didn’t have a good feeling about this.

A light bulb then clearly went off in Kingsley’s head. “Cole, how do you think he will view you when he arrives?”

“Not in a good light. As I said, Celes is his Vice Chancellor. They are undoubtedly close now, and I imagine he may be coming here to collect my hide for her.”

“I see. And do you still long for her?”

Locke’s face was as honest as he could make it. “Truthfully, I do a lot of this for her, to help her dream of keeping Figaro strong and prosperous. I know I screwed up six months ago. Mr. Kingsley, I do intend, when this contract is up, to find her and let her have the closure I know she wants. What closure that is, I don’t know. I just know that whatever she wants, she can have.”

“Finally, if he questions it, would you tell him how you’re the best agent for this job?”

“If I know Edgar, he already knows that I’m the best man for the job.”

Kingsley leaned back. A smile crossed his face. “Thank you Cole. Your honesty, as late as it comes, leads me to believe that we can make that happen. I simply ask you to be honest with him and speak with the same emotions as you spoke to me just now. Promise me that, will you?”

“Of course, sir.”

Kingsley grabbed Locke’s shoulder, shook it, and smiled. “We’ll discuss your inability to disclose such relationships when you return from New Narshe. Based on the success of the mission, it should be nothing more than a formality. After all, I should be much angrier at my security branch! Have a good rest. Your meeting is scheduled at 1300 this afternoon.”

Locke nodded and saluted. Once Kingsley had left, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply to calm himself. He had no clue what to expect. He anticipated Edgar would not be happy at all, and he couldn’t rule out his denying him for the mission. That could easily be debated.

The challenge, he believed, was finding out if Celes knew, and if not, could he keep Edgar silent until his contract was up.


	8. Diplomacy with the Kazen's Lord Alma

The day Locke passed his final evaluation, Celes found herself in New Narshe for the first time. The city still looked a lot like Narshe. Many of the old buildings had remained with simple renovations. It was an efficient idea to use existing structures for operations. That saved on costs. The newer buildings had an Imperial flair to them, a touch no doubt pushed by Lord Alma. She felt unease inside her as the Figaro convoy moved closer to the new futuristic looking structure that housed the Order of the Kazen.

She recalled what she knew. Lord Alma led the Order. She led two Divisions: Military and Judicial. The society was militaristic, and the Courts enforced her decrees. A third Division, Investigation, was a check to the other two, and they answered to a new role, Vicelord. The Vicelord had been created as a compromise between angry subjects who saw the military and courts overstepping authority, and Lord Alma’s desire to ensure her subjects did not become the victims of injustice. The Vicelord could protect the people for her, and the Vicelord, an equal to the leaders of Military and Judicial Divisions, could meet them as equals in front of Lord Alma.

It was a strange setup to a government, Celes believed. She also shrugged, for it had worked to get the Order much wealth, influence, and might.

A tall, slender man in a silver tunic and reddish armor welcomed Edgar and Celes. They recognized him quickly. His whitish hair and pristine uniform screamed attention to detail and his reputation caused more screams from the dungeon than either wanted to recall. Across from his lines of ribbons in the armor was a nametag, GENERAL KELBESQUE, DRAGO. Celes did not like him already.

“Your Majesty, Vice Chancellor, I am General Kelbesque, head of Military Division.” He knelt. “I pray your journey was safe?”

“Edgar shall do fine on this trip, General. The trip was filled with paperwork, as I’m sure you understand.”

Kelbesque let out a laugh. “Such is the life. I’m sure Lord Alma has prepared some entertainment to give you a moment to breathe this year.”

“I look forward to seeing it. I’m sure I will be humbled.”

Then Kelbesque turned a sneer toward Celes. “General Celes.”

She hadn’t been called that in a long time. “General Kelbesque. It’s Vice Chancellor now.”

“Perhaps in title. All that reveals is how little ‘General’ means to Figaro. It’s a shame.” He then bowed his head to Edgar. “I apologize, Your Majesty. I am proud of my title, yet it is unfair how I speak. Reports state she uses her military repertoire to effect fantastic ideas in your Kingdom.”

Celes was not amused. “Use of the military hasn’t been needed in our kingdom.”

Kelbesque was taken aback at this comment. Custom dictated Edgar speak up for him. He looked at the king. Edgar shook his head. “She defends herself better than I ever could. I accept your apology wholeheartedly. She doesn’t. Just know that I trust her enough to let her speak for me.”

Kelbesque bowed again and led them into the headquarters.

The building was bizarre. It was loaded up, strangely enough, with blue and white walls, artwork, and uniforms. All in all, there had to be twelve different versions of blue alone. The only break in colors was the different shirts, each representing the skills its wearer possessed.

As they approached the Conference Hall, Edgar stopped and smiled. “Toth?”

A short, portly man turned, and grew excited. He waddled over quickly and bowed just as fast. “Your majesty! It is a pleasure to see you! I pray your travels are not keeping you from your beautiful new bride?”

“Ah, any travels away from her now qualify as keeping me away from the greatest treasure Figaro has ever had!”

Celes smiled. She knew the man too. He was Supreme Magistrate Alexi Toth, head of Judicial Division. Before Kefka’s fall, he had argued passionately many times in front of King Edgar at Figaro Castle. When New Narshe had formed, he beckoned, hoping to find his skill in the law beneficial. Lord Alma saw more than that, and he was chosen to be Supreme Magistrate less than a month after. He had been at the Royal wedding as well. He and Edgar went way back.

Toth then turned to Celes and bowed as well. “Vice Chancellor, I hope your first trip to New Narshe fills you with both history and future!”

She smiled and tapped her left shoulder, a sign of respect for the Crimson Courts. “Supreme Magistrate, it has been too long. The city stirs memories and holds grand visions of the future.”

He smiled. “And that fantastic man who watched me like a hawk while we danced, Locke was his name? Please tell me he is doing well!” Celes’ gaze told him more than enough. “I see. Vice Chancellor…”

“Supreme Magistrate, Celes shall do.”

“As will Alexi. Celes, I do apologize. I’ve clearly hit a rough patch in your heart. I apologize.”

“Alexi, you did not know. Please do not worry. Wherever he may be, I’m sure he is doing just fine. I miss him and still pray for his safety and return. That’s all.”

“Then I shall help your resolve however I can.”

Celes smiled. He was a genuinely positive man.

“Your Majesty and Vice Chancellor, Lord Alma requests the audience now,” Kelbesque announced. He had been watching from afar. The two were escorted into the Conference Hall and seated.

 

Lord Maude Alma stood outside her doors, stoic and emotionless. In her worldview, this allowed her to be ruthlessly efficient and base policy on rational thought and benefits that could otherwise be lost if subjected to passion. It suited her just fine. She had grown up in Vector like Celes. She desired to ascend to General, and consumed herself with all of its teachings. Her physique, however, was not what the Empire desired from its leaders, so she instead climbed the ranks in politics. Her style then was what it was now. Based off the design then, she never really interacted with Celes, though she knew her reputation.

Alma had been told to condemn Celes’ assault on Maranda. Alma instead gave a terse stoic piece defending the tactics as acceptable in war times. Kefka’s poisoning of Doma, though, was barbaric. These ideas formed the baseline for her military policies: death to enemies was an accepted part of their honor code, but attempting to inflict pain for any reason not death was looked at as less than human. That took away the high ground she relied on in her successful diplomacy. Torture was still a grey area, but even she believed that mild forms could result in acquiring information.

She viewed thievery as unacceptable, but she also saw its potential in terms of weakening the Utok empire. She decided early on in the spy games that attempting to thieve the Kazen’s secrets needed a strong deterrent. She chose the death penalty. She also shrugged when her Council questioned the sanity of it. Her reply was that if one of her spies got caught, then that was on them and her enemy simply gained a useless body.

Alma had beefed up the Crimson Medical Division significantly. Their doctors and surgeons had been able to make amazing developments to help both military and civilians battle the Narshe elements and be combat ready. She had also used her military knowledge to adapt her fledgling militias into a formidable war machine. That might was central in her true desire to use diplomacy to defeat her opponents. She was lethal at policy making.

Her days were rigid in schedule. If one cog in the machine ran slowly, the entire machine fell behind. She did not tolerate failure well, but she was more lenient on commitment to grow and try again. She was a fantastic listener and orator.

She looked behind her and sighed. Only one page had become ready for the meeting. The other had 45 seconds left so Alma could make her deadline. She grew angry, and in doing so demonstrated her ruthless demand to adhere to the rules. Suddenly, the second page showed up, out of breath. He took his place to Lord Alma’s side. She sighed.

_This is what drives me crazy at night._

Both pages nodded to Alma. She said nothing. Then she pushed the doors open and walked into the Conference Hall.

 

Celes observed Lord Alma walk in and began to assess the situation. Alma reminded her almost of herself when she sat down. The Imperial touch had left its power throughout her.

Then, the door opened again, and a man walked in. Celes felt her heart flutter slightly when she scanned him. He was a tall, stout man, with broad shoulders and an incredible physique defined under his crimson cloak. His chin was almost as broad as his shoulders. She knew who he was without having to read the nametag, VICELORD KINNICK, FREDERICK. He was the people’s chairman. And he was very easy on the eyes.

Celes closed her eyes for a moment. She smiled for a moment. Even Locke would have agreed that he was blessed in appearance.

Kinnick approached and bowed to Edgar. “Your Majesty, I pray you are here in good health?”

“Vicelord, the pleasure is mine to finally meet you. Your duties to the people humble me.”

Kinnick smiled and then returned upright. Then his eyes caught Celes’ eyes. Words and reason disappeared. He did manage to maintain some composure. She was stunning. Custom for the Kazen was to bow to foreign officials, but code allowed more formal honors. He dropped to a knee and bowed his head, touching his left shoulder. “Vice Chancellor Chere, it is a pleasure to meet you.” He then looked up to shamelessly catch another glimpse of her face.

Celes swooned a bit inside. The gesture had certainly not been lost on her. She observed his eyes and gaze. Both seemed honest, gentle, and sincere. “Vicelord, please, the honor must be mine.”

Kinnick stood up, smiling. Then he heard Alma grumble. His Lord felt delayed again. He chuckled and took his seat. The pages stood behind him and Alma, pens and paper in hand.

“I apologize for being curt. I don’t appreciate time wasted. We have much to discuss today, Your Majesty, if we are to enjoy a small ceremony in your honor at 6:30.”

Edgar nodded. He was used to this by now. It was part of her diplomacy strategy. They would have roughly forty-five minutes, and no more, to discuss many important issues. There wasn’t enough time. They both knew that. “Then let’s get to whichever issue you desire, my Lord.”

“Today that would be the province of Hornata.”

“Ah yes, the mountains. The people there seem quite angry at your Order’s squadron. They are quite proud of their independent and self-sustaining history.”

“They also openly attack the Kazen.”

“An expected reaction from a people threatened daily with the use of force.”

“Your Majesty, it sounds like you do not recognize my right to move within neutral territories.”

“I recognize the right. I also know I have no authority in forcing the Hornatans to adhere to the same. My concern in the conflict still remains that the people of Nikeah and South Figaro grow concerned with the prospect of conflict with the Kazen.”

“Their concerns are based not in fact, then.”

“My Lord, surely you must see their concerns…”

“I do not! They have nothing to fear from the Kazen. Their fears are unjustified. I expect their King to do a better job conveying that!” She shot him a glance. Edgar now leaned back, clearly frustrated. Another impasse. And he knew she wouldn’t budge.

“My Lord, if I may…”

Suddenly, both Edgar and Alma turned to look at Celes. Her eyes had not left Alma in the conversation. She studied her, feeling a sense a familiarity.

Alma was clearly upset at the delay. “Vice Chancellor, if you must, make it quick!”

Celes cleared her throat. “Of course. My Lord, you already know our kingdoms have no intention to quarrel. Our weakened positions would only encourage Utok. Right now, the focus should be on showing both your military and our civilians that position. Complaining that we won’t support a mission we don’t understand is, in itself, a waste of time.”

Celes exhaled. She knew Alma would understand Emperor Gestahl’s philosophy as it applied here.

Alma’s face went back to stoic. She was thinking about what had just been said. She finally looked back at Edgar. “Does she always speak bluntly and passionately?”

“I’m afraid so, my Lord.”

“Then I grant authorization for her to speak in these proceedings to her own content, so long as you don’t object.”

Edgar smiled. Just like he and Doma’s Vice Chancellor had thought, she was now the first Figaro official other than him allowed to speak more than one sentence in Lord Alma’s presence.

She then turned to Celes again. Her face showed no emotion. That was par for the course. “Our mission there need not concern Figaro.”

Celes believed her. “I’m sure it does not. Its secrecy to us, however, leaves us to fill in too many blanks on our own.”

“It’s simply military training and nothing more.”

Edgar now interjected. “The Hornatans seem to think that they are catching glimpses of more than that. Something like an industrial station.” He stared at Alma. “I don’t think it is as simple as you claim it to be.”

Alma now turned to Edgar, a clear disgust now within her. “Trusting the Hornatans over myself, I see.”

Edgar sighed. He knew she would react like this. Yet he didn’t think this would cause so much friction at the moment. He didn’t know what to say.

Luckily, Celes did. “Well, why wouldn’t we listen to them?”

Alma’s disgust grew. She turned to Celes, her voice raising. “Perhaps because they are attempting to sway you to their point of view?”

Celes raised hers, and altered her tone in the Imperial tradition. “Please don’t tell me that surprises you!” Alma blinked, unable to comprehend yet recalling times in Vector. Celes finished the logic for her. “The Hornatans are scared. They see a war machine and signs of infrastructure and that means that someone else has come up there trying to stop their way of life. Only this time it’s more serious than the many times before.”

Alma tried to interject, “And this has what to do with Figaro?”

“Everything! Of course they’d come to us to complain and ask us to do something. What other choice do they have? The towns before the world’s end begged Figaro and the Returners for help because there was no other choice.”

Alma started to sense where the argument was going. “Continue, Vice Chancellor.”

“My Lord, we listened to Hornata because we had to. We told them the same pledge of neutrality we tell you. King Edgar comes here today and willingly tells you this. He has also pledged not to interject, despite knowing other intentions lay in those mountains. He believes you when you say they do not concern him. As it stands, our Kingdoms are happily together in a position of not wanting to engage in conflict. If you still cannot admit that, then I am afraid you have wasted our time.”

Alma’s eyes showed shock at that last part. “Vice Chancellor!”

“My apologies, Lord Alma, but I tire of hearing how we have to do your duty of convincing the Hornatans that your intentions are not to disrupt them under some veiled threat that our refusal somehow weakens a surprisingly stable political truce.”

She stopped. She didn’t realize that Alma, Edgar, and Kinnick were staring at her, all shocked and somewhat horrified. She knew had spoken bluntly and directly. She knew that she had violated customs at least three times. She also knew that if she looked down that her point would be lost. “I apologize for my bluntness, My Lord, Your Majesty, Vicelord. I hope getting lost in my passion does not ruin what we all hope to achieve.”

Then she sat down, feeling their eyes. Edgar was simply stunned. Alma’s disgust was fading, a surprise given that she had probably not lost an argument so quickly. Kinnick’s eyes, however, were now warm and inviting. He had clearly been impressed and supported what she had said. His presence could help her through this.

Alma closed her eyes for a moment. Then she opened them, her face stoic again. “No apologies. They waste time, and I invited this already by allowing you to speak. Your position is sound. We will do better to pacify the Hornatans without force. We appreciate your decision to remain neutral.”

Celes exhaled inside. She had done it. “Thank you My Lord.”

For most of the rest of the time, Edgar spoke. He had been powered by Celes’ resolve, and he knew that by the end of the meeting he had made more progress than he ever expected. He heeded Celes’ advice and offered to provide information on the layout of the Zozo Mountains so that fewer Kazen mining accidents would occur, and in return Alma pledged to assist in monster control along their northern borders. This allowed Celes and Kinnick to share more glances than she realized she had.

Finally, Alma stood up. Edgar seemed stunned. It was only 6:10. “Your Majesty, I apologize, but I believe that is enough diplomacy for one day. We’ve made more strides than the previous three meetings combined.”

Edgar stared at Celes and smiled. “I certainly have no objections.”

Alma then also looked at Celes. “General, I invite you to my Observatory for the next fifteen minutes.”

Celes’ shock was not lost on Alma. “Of, of course My Lord.”

“Good. Follow me. Vicelord, please escort His Majesty to our Banquet Hall.”

Kinnick nodded, gave Celes one more smile, and bowed to Edgar. The four left the Conference Hall.

 

Celes still felt in shock. Very few people had ever been granted permission to the Observatory. She had, in fact, beaten Edgar to this most untouchable of rooms. Every aspect of it radiated beauty, from the bookcases to the tables and chairs and even up to the telescope that went into a beautiful sunset. The glass dome ceiling even had small crimson mosaics in each pane. Imperial relics flourished here, reminding Celes of what she had come from.

A page walked up to the odd pair, wine and goblets on a tray. Alma smiled and nodded to the page, and Celes saw the page walk away with a smile on her face. She noted that this was the first time she had seen Alma smile.

Alma spoke first. “I ask to know if Celes is too informal here.”

“It is fine my Lord.”

“Then Alma shall do for now.”

Celes smiled.

“Celes, what type of a ruler do you see me as?”

“Well, I see you as a passionate ruler, one who demands much yet demands even more that it be done the right way first. You have a bit of an iron fist, but not too much that you welcome others’ ideas to help strengthen the Kazen.” She sat back. “Your style reminds me what Emperor Gestahl started as, before paranoia set in.”

Alma smiled at that. “His teachings and styles have certainly rubbed off on you as well. I saw it from your first comments. I knew I was right to let you speak. Your power in politics shouldn’t be surprising to you or others.”

Celes smiled. They raised their wine goblets. _To the glory of the future._ That had been Gestahl’s original mantra.

The two spoke for a few minutes, enjoying the wine. Celes recognized it as a Vector holdover. Alma spoke of her upbringing, and Celes followed. Most of the conversation revolved around the Empire in its prime and how much things had changed. Alma clearly missed those days. Celes, however, found herself warming more and more to Alma’s styles and personality. Her previous judgments seemed very harsh. The conversation became much more friendly and fluid as the minutes passed.

Finally, it was nearing 6:30. Alma stood up. “Celes, I appreciate your willingness to let me share these few moments down memory lane with someone who must understand more than most my good intentions.”

“Alma, I must thank you for the memories as well. Vector wine, some crazy moments. It’s good to remember that the Empire used to stand for strong values. I hope our kingdoms use that painful history lesson to leverage prosperity going forward.”

They left the observatory. Celes looked back. “I want a room like that one day.”

Alma chuckled. “I’ve no doubt you will make it so. Ah, here we are.” They looked up. Kinnick was there at the door to the Banquet Hall, smiling. Alma turned to Celes. “As we discussed, I apologize. Our custom here is only to toast the head of state. Vicelord Kinnick has volunteered to entertain you while the banquet is underway.”

Celes smiled and nodded. She would be left out of those festivities, yet with an escort like Kinnick, she felt like she had won again. The door closed. Now the two were alone in the hallway.

“So, Vicelord, I assume the dining hall has excellent wares tonight?”

“It does, Vice Chancellor.”

“Please, call me Celes!” She suddenly stopped. _Flirting? Wow!_

“Well then, I’d hate to keep formalities one sided. Frederick for me tonight.” He then stared out a window. New Narshe’s city glow had started, a sign that the night life was about to begin. “You know, the compound food is delicious, but it lacks a special personal touch that the people of New Narshe mix into their dishes. I know a fantastic fondue restaurant that just opened a few blocks from here. If you wish, I could take you there.”

“That would be a fantastic idea! I’ve had my share of this place.”

“As have I. I prefer the people’s world.”

They both stood there. For some reason, Celes had assumed he would reach for her hand. When he did not, she smiled and walked forward. _He isn’t like any of the Figaro nobles. And I really like that._


	9. Dinner with the Kazen's Vicelord

The walk to the restaurant was chilly, the norm for most Narshe nights in the summer. Its northern latitude and altitude rarely offered it freedom from the cold. To Celes, however, it was magical. The streets had been fixed up. The shops were bustling. The people seemed so friendly, and many recognized Kinnick immediately. Kinnick also seemed intent to answer all of them, a duty he proudly upheld. She wondered what they might be thinking of her. Several asked her about Figaro shopping and customs, and she tried her best to answer them as well. The restaurant was intimate. It had been an old section of a Narshe militia barracks. Celes marveled at how the outside had been preserved while the inside transformed into a place of such ambience and comfort. Rather than a traditional restaurant, each table occupied one of the old barracks rooms. The owners emphasized quality over quantity, and the prices on the menu reflected that. She gasped audibly at the price of the combination meal Kinnick had selected for them.

He certainly noticed. “Celes, please do not fret. It is a wonderful night with wonderful company. William here has earned my respect with his culinary skill. It is well worth it.”

“I’m sure it is, but I’m not exactly used to a price like this.” Then she stopped. The bistro she had wanted to go to the day she had been selected would command a similar price. That made no sense to her now. _Why on earth is the price suddenly an issue?_ Then she sighed inside. _Wow, I can’t seem to stop finding new ways to realize how much I left him behind._

She stirred. Kinnick had been watching her with a concerned look on his face. “Celes, if this is too much, we can find a different location.”

“No, it is ok, I swear. Besides, I’d hate to make him prepare food only for it to come to an empty table.”

“He’d be paid regardless. I’d see to that.”

“In that case, I think we should enjoy it.”

Kinnick smiled.

For the first part of dinner, they spoke of their past. Kinnick had known Alma since the days of the Empire, where he was a top politician as well. When the world crashed and Kefka was silenced, he followed her to New Narshe. He supported her views on being able to create a kingdom that would sustain itself and offer better values than the ones they had left behind. Unlike Alma and Toth, he had no interest in gaining influence. He instead preferred to remain in local organizations, going from town to town and helping the Kazen’s people at the ground level. Many more brilliant minds could capture the broad strokes. He preferred the individual approach. He knew they needed to feel more support than a few talking heads.

Then, recently, a torture scandal erupted in Kohlingen. While the Kazen had condoned it for its enemies, reports surfaced that several in Military Division had begun to utilize it on ordinary citizens. The ripples had been felt throughout the Order. Their council knew that Lord Alma would not accept this. She viewed incidences like these as the true danger to the Order’s stability. External forces could be used to unite, but internal quagmires would irreparably damage the foundation. She needed help to restore the people’s faith in her government.

She ordered the creation of Investigation Division. Then, she created the position of People’s Chairman to oversee this Division and all matters of the people. She needed them to truly believe that she was taking a hard line against what many perceived as government abuse of power. She also knew whom she needed to fill this position initially.

She ordered and accepted his nomination as People’s Chairman. In the Council, to symbolize his importance, he was bestowed the title of Vicelord. In truth, he had equal footing with General Kelbesque and Supreme Magistrate Toth, but both of them knew that his actual influence lay stronger. That had been his job for the previous six weeks.

“Much different than being a local politician with a farm,” he quipped.

She smiled. “I can imagine! I never guessed I’d become a Vice Chancellor, myself.”

“Seems like quite an abrupt career jump from ‘General.’”

“It was more natural than you may think, Frederick.”

“I hope so, I can’t see it!” he laughed. “Not having military training probably hurts my ability to see it.”

“Indeed. Even as a general, I viewed my work as helping the Empire, which was what I wanted to do. Once that was clearly impossible, I no longer wished that responsibility. Then I was saved from the Empire and began working to help people again, only since then I haven’t had to worry about commanding a legion to do so.”

Kinnick raised a glass of wine. “To working toward a better future without war!”

She clinked his glass with her own. “I will happily drink to that!”

Celes knew she had been letting her guard down. She somehow didn’t care. It had crossed her mind just how much desire to show him, and he clearly had been battling inside over how much desire he should show her.

Suddenly, she felt sadness. _What am I doing? Why am I enjoying this? He intentions seem so pure, Like Locke’s. Do I see Locke in him?_

Suddenly, she froze again. He had nervously made his move. He had placed his left hand on her shoulder and had reached out and placed her left hand in his right. She saw his sweat, realizing his inexperience in taking things even this far. Yet, his gentle nature still shone through those eyes and face that was now turning a slight crimson itself.

She stared ahead. Without warning and with frustration, her mind immediately called forward for Locke’s memory to return.

_Locke, I miss you. I need you in this moment. Please._

Suddenly he was there, smiling. He took a glance at Kinnick, and then looked at her and winked. _Not a bad catch, Celes!_

_Locke, please, I can’t help the looks. But I know he’s not you._

_So? I’m in no position to cast judgment after what I did. You clearly look ready to push this further. Who cares if it’s more spontaneous than you are used to? Hell, why are you even thinking of me at a time like this?_

_Because you’re no longer here, Locke! And I want that changed, now!_

Suddenly, she snapped out of it. She knew nothing could come of this.

Apparently, Kinnick realized it as well. His hands had quickly retreated back to his side of the table. He sadly looked down. “Celes, I apologize for that moment. I never intended to discomfort you.”

She stared at the sincerity. “Frederick, please. You don’t have to apologize for things you don’t know about.” She suddenly realized that Locke had not come up in the conversation.

“Still, this could cause friction between us, and I don’t wish that.”

“Frederick, Figaro and the Kazen will be just fine.”

“Sure, but I said between _us_.”

Celes smiled. “Leave it to me to jump to the politics first.” He laughed. “Frederick, _we_ are going to be just fine. You’ve not surrendered being a gentleman. I won’t fault you for acting like that, given the events of the day. I keep my personal life personal.”

Kinnick smiled. “I do appreciate that, Celes. You have such a pure spirit. I should have guessed that someone else would have beaten me to the punch to learn more about it. I imagine he is just as fascinating and strong as you.”

Celes hid her grumblings well enough. “He certainly is.”

Somewhere, in her mind, she heard Locke laughing.

 

The dinner was indeed fantastic. Kinnick escorted her back to the edges of the city. Edgar was waiting already, ready for the late trek back to Figaro Castle. Kinnick smiled at Celes. “Tonight was unforgettable. I hope to share another with you soon.”

“The pleasure has been mine. The Order of the Kazen is lucky to have you represent its people. Please pass along the same to Lord Alma.”

“But of course. Celes, I bid you safe travels.”

“You too, Frederick!”

She got into the carriage. Edgar had a candle lit to see more paperwork. They started moving toward Figaro. After two minutes, Edgar spoke up. “First name basis with the Vicelord, eh?”

Celes showed disdain. “That is a problem now?”

“At least it was unforgettable for him tonight.” Then the smack went across his face. He smirked, knowing it would come.

“Edgar, I don’t appreciate the insinuation. He was a perfect gentleman, dinner was great, and nothing more came from it.”

Edgar rubbed his cheek, still smirking. “Makes it easy to see why the sparks flew.”

“Edgar,” she growled, raising her hand again clenched in a fist, “you know where my heart stays true.”

“Maybe so, but it does feel good to see you out enjoying yourself with the company of strangers. He’s certainly enamored with you. From the outside perspective, it just makes me happy to see you willing to step out of that shell of yours to do something like this.”

Celes leaned back, staring out the window. “He certainly looks fantastic. A completely different build than Locke could ever hope to achieve.” She heard Edgar burst out laughing. “Still, I saw too much of Locke in him. The gentleness, the caring about people, his happiness lying in moving from town to town.” She closed her eyes. “Who knows if or when I will eventually let go of him, but I learned tonight the man that succeeds has to be more than just different in a physical sense.”

Edgar smiled. “Well, it’s a start. Now please try to relax. I have to go over these decrees and paperwork.” Suddenly, his eyes’ disgust looked at the dossier in front of him. Celes noticed the dragon and mist logo, but the white band was new. Edgar opened it and read, then signed the bottom. Then he sat back and looked out the carriage window.

Celes noticed the change. “Edgar, if you need to talk…”

“No. I will not let others bear some of the burdens of being king. This one included.”

“You mean agreeing to espionage?”

“Aye. I hate living in this age. I hate having to adapt like this. Missions like this, though, always make me uneasy. I hate sending one of my own into such danger. Their risk I take wholeheartedly. And it always unnerves me.”

“That’s what makes you such a wonderful king. The people know how much they mean to you. Don’t ever forget that. I can’t stand the whole secrecy thing myself. Best if we never had to do it. Please don’t let it eat at you. Whoever it is, I’m sure they will be fine.”

Edgar sighed. The mission was to last eighteen hours. That was eighteen sleepless hours. Even military conflicts never gave him such unrest. Perhaps Celes was right. He hated slinking around in the shadows.


	10. Discovery

Celes was summoned to New Narshe three more times that month along with Edgar, though he jokingly referenced to himself as “the assistant.” Relations were growing stronger than anticipated. Alma had even volunteered several bits of intelligence on Utok advancements toward Jidoor. Celes knew it was an old trick of Gestahl. Sharing information is always key. The challenge was to ensure your information wasn’t as valuable to the other side. Edgar provided details of an Utok detachment that seemed lost in the new civilizations the Kazen had founded in the northeast lands. Each time she visited, she met with Kinnick for dinner and occasionally a show at the Narshe Royal Performing Arts Center. Despite Terra’s protests around her new social life, the future seemed optimistic.

Celes also had become busy with Utok. Their method of political discussion was much less refined, but she had been able to secure southern borders a little more in exchange for an agreement that Utok stop trying to spy on South Figaro. By now, stories of catching spies came a lot more frequently, and that bothered her.

Still, she knew that the landscape was shifting more. Utok would certainly soon view both Figaro and the Kazen as an alliance, and it would take more than political discourse to smooth that. It would be just another fight in this crazy world.

Celes was enjoying a day off. It was morning in Figaro castle. She, Terra, Sabin, and Edgar sat in the dining hall enjoying a meal. Conversation was light. Clouds had rolled in.

Suddenly, a man walked in. He was tall and wore a silver uniform with that same dragon logo. His nametag read LAPLACE, TONY. She had never seen him before. He immediately walked up to Edgar and bowed. “Your Majesty.”

Edgar looked up and saw the dossier. It was the same style as the one Celes had seen in the carriage. It had a white band on the cover. He sighed, took the dossier, opened it, and began to read. _Hopefully I will eventually be desensitized to this part of the job_ , he thought to himself, as he read down the paper.

First was the mission. He became furious under his breath. New Narshe was the target? He kept reading. Intelligence gathering. Minimum risk doctrine used. Expected date was two days away, in the morning, during a government holiday. Edgar stopped, grumbling. Spying on the Kazen made sense indeed, but his grumbling at spying in general still shown through.

Terra rolled her eyes away. She knew to expect his sleepless night, and what a horrible time for this to happen. She had organized a celebration for the band of friends that had defeated Kefka. Celes had volunteered her place for a party not knowing the guest list. It was to be tomorrow night. This had better not ruin that. She also waited for him to finish, knowing that he would need a massage and her loving smile to calm down.

Suddenly, she and everyone else stared at Edgar. His eyes didn’t move from the paper. He had gotten to the bottom. The sound of his pen dropping had startled them. He closed the dossier, mumbled to LaPlace, and stood up. Then, he abruptly turned and started walking out of the hall, with LaPlace following, a nervous look now in his eyes.

Terra shot out of her seat. “Edgar!” He kept walking. “ _Edgar, turn around now!”_

That stopped him. He turned around and faced his guests. Emotions and color no longer flowed through his face. “I apologize, but I must depart for South Figaro at once. I hope you all will understand.” He then turned around again, and started through the door.

“I’ve never seen that before. I’ll find out more. Edgar!” Terra screamed as she ran after him.

Celes and Sabin sat there. Sabin spoke first. “Well that was strange.”

“I’ll say. Do those dossiers ever make him so grouchy?”

“Not _that_ grouchy. He hates em’ but that’s all I know about them. Guess I gotta be king again.”

Celes wondered why this dossier had suddenly made him react. There were so many possibilities. She hoped he had finally had enough of the spy games.

 

Terra had finally caught up to him. She grabbed his arm and swung him around. “Edgar, you are not just departing without an explanation to me!” She looked gravely concerned.

Edgar sighed. “I apologize, but it is of utmost importance that I take care of this now.”

Terra began to cry. “Edgar, I don’t want to see you beat yourself up for another mission and lose more sleep! Please, it destroys you inside.”

“My dear, I will be fine this time around. Subject matter must remain top secret. Just know that when I return this evening, I will be okay, waiting to see your face.”

They hugged and exchanged passionate kisses. Terra had no problems with open affection in the face of Royal custom. Neither did Edgar. It enhanced their attraction. They wished each other a good day.

Once they were in his carriage, he looked at LaPlace, who looked uncomfortable. “Tell that boss of yours I expect an explanation from him regarding this mission.”

“Um, but of course Your Majesty.” He tapped the ETCH in his ear. “Mission Control, Shadow 3. His Majesty requests an audience with Kingsley. We will arrive within two hours. Acknowledge.”

His ETCH beeped so only he could hear it. “Shadow 3, we acknowledge message. He is informed. We look forward to your arrival.”

LaPlace turned to Edgar. “Your Majesty, he is informed.” Then, his ETCH beeped again. He groaned when he recognized Kingsley’s voice.

“LaPlace, my boy! Did you say the King is coming? Did he say why?”

“No, but I will ask him.” LaPlace turned to Edgar, holding the MUTE button on the ETCH so Kingsley couldn’t hear. “Your Majesty, Kingsley. He wishes to know the reason for your visit.”

Edgar looked at the dossier again. “Tell him it is about the mission and the agent.”

LaPlace nodded. “Kingsley, Shadow 3. He has concerns regarding both the code white and the agent selected.”

“Understood. Please ensure him we will be good to go!”

LaPlace heard the quick two beeps that ended the transmission. He had no intention of trying to reassure Edgar.

Edgar felt a rage growing inside him. Something about this mission gave him dread. Worst of all, he could not stop staring at the name the dossier provided.

Locke Cole.

After roughly six months, he had found him, nestled into a secret organization of his own. Further, no one, not even his wife or closest friends, were supposed to know anything about it.

Edgar scowled. He was not looking forward to this meeting. He was especially not looking forward to facing Terra later that night.


	11. A Buried Hatchet

The clock struck 1300. Still no Edgar. Locke began to relax. He was in an empty room within the Shadow Ops complex. Only Kingsley joined him. He wondered why he was even bothering to try and figure out answers to the inevitable questions. He knew that had become ingrained with the rest of the training. He didn’t feel right if his brain wasn’t working out several solutions to a simple problem.

Suddenly, LaPlace entered the room and bowed. “His Majesty, King Edgar, arrives!”

In walked Edgar. He saw Kingsley bow as expected. He then saw Locke, still standing defiantly, also as expected. He walked toward the two of them. Kingsley began to sweat. He had also noticed Locke’s lack of gesture.

Edgar then spoke. “Kingsley, you may leave us now.”

“Your Majesty, I humbly request to remain here as I put together this mission. This is my responsibility, not this boy here!”

“I said leave. _That is an order_.” Kingsley recognized the tone change, shook Locke’s hand, smiled at him, and promptly walked out with LaPlace. Once they had left, Edgar crossed his arms, his fiery stare not leaving Locke’s face. Locke returned the favor. Neither spoke for a minute. The battle had begun.

Edgar opened first. “Barely recognize you. Hair actually looks decent.”

“Edgar, you still look regal as always.”

“The uniform fits nice. Looks like you’ve finally put some muscle in your frame.”

“Indeed.”

“So how long have you been playing shadow games?”

“I graduated a month ago. Ten months left.”

“Ten months out of the field, I guess.”

“Edgar, you know I’m the best man for this job.”

“Not my concern here. You’ve lied to friends and now colleagues about who you are and where you are.”

“Works for the job. It’s why I am great at it.”

“Feels good to hear you brag about being great at avoiding your friends for four months.”

Locke felt the sting. He anticipated more. The least he could do was return a few to his old friend. “No, that would be six. I volunteered for this too.”

Edgar snorted. “Locke, let’s cut the crap. Why?”

“Why? This school appealed to me.”

“Not that. Why? Why just leave her with no explanation? Why break off all contact with the group that joined you in arms to destroy Kefka?”

Emotions boiled between the two. They knew this was going to get ugly. Locke fired back, “Maybe because I still craved some freedom?”

“Freedom from what?”

“Freedom from being her bottom feeding dead weight?”

“Locke, what are you talking about? You were probably higher than heaven in her eyes.”

“Not high enough that you, those damn nobles, and your kingdom’s beck and call won out every time!” Locke snapped angrily.

Edgar grimaced. He remembered how angry he was at Celes for the same thing. He started to ease up. “Alright, we need to calm down. There’s enough left unresolved that we have to stop this.” He crossed his arms again. He focused his eyes. Locke saw the anger replace by concern. He felt his drop by the wayside as well. “Locke, I apologize. I should be thanking my lucky stars that I found you alive, not berating you to death.”

“No, I know I deserve it given how I acted. I can’t blame you or anyone else.”

“If Celes can forgive you, I know I can-” he stopped and scrunched his face, disgusted with himself. He didn’t mean to drop that trust he had with Celes. Then he saw Locke’s face shift to one of sadness. “Locke, please, I didn’t mean to bring that up.”

“What did you say?”

“Locke, let’s not kid ourselves. You never miss details of what people say.”

_Celes forgave him?_ “Edgar, has she ever said why she forgave me?”

Edgar sighed. “No. Truthfully, I don’t understand why, so I haven’t bothered her on it. It’s probably the only reason Terra will forgive you as well.”

“How is Terra doing? Any success finding time to start the family?”

“Sadly, no. Ye gods, I wish we could have some more time to our-” Edgar caught what he was saying. Locke nodded in understanding. “Let’s shift topics, please.”

“Does anyone else know I am here?”

“I was able to keep the dossier secret and my tongue held when I read it. Terra, Celes, and Sabin were there. So far, protocol has held.”

“And protocol hopefully will be maintained?”

Edgar studied him. “You seem very intent on that. What’s up?”

“It’s Celes. I’m very conflicted about her right now, and I’d rather she not know I’m here.”

“Locke, will she ever find out?”

Locke looked up at Edgar. He recognized the face of his old friend again. He began to cry. “I don’t know. All I know is that I promised that once this tour was over, I’d find her and let her have the closure she deserves. She could say whatever she wanted, and I would accept it. No regrets.”

“Do you have regrets now?”

“I do. Not a day goes by that I don’t feel regret for walking out and not giving her the chance to move on easier.”

“Then why did you do it?”

“I said it earlier. She was the golden bird, and I was nothing more than a punching bag for her inner circle that was probably holding her back in her endeavors. Work is her life now, not me. Figaro needed her more, I guess.” Locke looked up, expecting to see Edgar calmly looking at him. Instead, he saw pain fill Edgar as well. “Edgar?”

“I yelled at her as well for trying to postpone your trip.”

Locke looked stunned. Edgar wasn’t lying. “What?”

“The majority of those who do the same work as her do it for the status and prestige attached, not to help Figaro like she does. She has been fighting to get everyone to see her vision. It was a fight she can never win. Some people can’t be changed. Luckily, she and the Doma Vice Chancellor share similar passions. That has kept us stable. That’s why the two of them lost the loves of their lives. The others relished the trips and lifestyles.”

“Edgar, why are you telling me this?”

“His wife walked out even before Doma was an official partner. He refused to change course on protecting Doma and then Figaro. Celes has continued the course as well. It’s all she has now. She’s just like him. He’d welcome back his wife with no objections.”

“Edgar, please stop. This is beginning to hurt.”

“Look, I’m sorry, but right now you have no choice, not if I’m going to let you continue with your missions.”

Locke shot up, stunned. “Huh?”

Edgar stared at him without emotion. “Locke, I won’t lie. You damaged a lot of people in your stunt six months ago, my wife and I included. I have every right to repay that favor right now if I so choose.”

Locke nodded.

“All the same, I know she would somehow support you. She won’t let young love be defeated. I can’t see why, but I won’t fight the way her heart is wired. I could escort you out of this place today, drag you to Figaro, and have you face her judgment if I so wanted. But I also promised I wouldn’t pick sides. That means that since you want this so bad, I won’t take that from you either. Consider that a very large hatchet buried.”

Locke couldn’t believe what he had heard. He started to smile. “Edgar, I’m, I’m speechless.”

“Doesn’t happen every often.”

“Edgar, I’m sorry. I really am. I sank into the dregs of society after I left. I hated myself. I don’t know if I’ve truly changed my ways. Fighting to support you and Celes has given me a sense of pride again. I know it’s not a way you support, and the gods know she will read me the riot act when I tell her about this tour.”

“So you will tell her?”

“Aye. It’s only fair. It’s just that after so many failures, I have to complete this. The people here saved my life, Edgar. I owe it to them to serve in the shadows, as twisted as it is.”

“Well, I wouldn’t put it past you to honor promises, even if six months ago happened.”

“That one hurt, but is plenty fair. Edgar, I won’t let you down.”

Edgar sighed. This mission would be even more painful than the rest, knowing he was in the field. “Trust me Locke. I already know you’re the best man for the job. Just please promise me one thing.” He placed his hands on Locke’s arms. “If anything goes awry, you turn tail and run. Whatever you’re searching for is not important enough to risk your capture and your life. I’m concealing your decisions from Celes and your friends and carrying that burden alone. Please don’t forget that.”

“Edgar, I promise you the mission won’t fail. And I never take unnecessary risks.”

“Very well. I wish you safe travels.”

“Edgar? You said you’re concealing this from my friends?”

Edgar chuckled. “You can bet they’re plenty steaming mad. But they all share the same concern about your well being. Your impact on them is not as easily forgotten as theirs on yours, I guess.”

Locke sighed. “More painful truths. I will work to fix that up however I can. You never know how lucky you were until you’re in a bar with a green tonic and gold needle extract.”

Edgar thought about those words. Those were a lethal combination when mixed. He knew Locke had suffered, but not like that. “Well, you have a group of people waiting for you so that it never comes to that again.” He gave Locke a hug. “Despite all that, I can’t explain just how happy I was to see you when I walked in, old friend.”

“Me too.”

Edgar shook his hand. “Stay safe for me.”

Locke smiled. “Protect the darkness to save the light.”

Edgar quickly turned and walked away. “I hate that fucking saying,” he replied.

 

Outside, Edgar saw a smiling Kingsley. “Kingsley, what is the information you look to acquire?”

“Your Majesty, it is a project codenamed Extraction. Deep cover indicates it has become high priority. The location of the records is to be moved to a more secure location soon. I want them now before that happens.”

Edgar signed the authorization. “Did you know he used to be my connection to the Returners before the world’s end?”

“I do now, your Majesty. We had a small chat before you arrived. Quite capable of getting himself into and out of a lot of situations! Of course we released the man who did the recon with the Vice Chancellor. He bungled that greatly.”

Edgar now felt himself staring at Kingsley. “If you had found the connection, what would have happened to Locke?”

“Your Majesty, I assume he would have eventually served out his contract working in Development. He trained the others almost as well as the instructors.”

“Good, that is all.”

“Your Majesty, please do not fret! Locke is one of our best agents. He has done much more taxing work than this!”

“Wrong.” Edgar stared at Kingsley. “He _is_ your best agent. I already know that. I know him. That’s why I’m letting him continue. Every time he goes out there, I know that potentially protects someone else.”

They finished up and Edgar departed.

 

It was now six in the evening. The trip back had been smooth. Edgar was in the bedroom, moaning slightly. Terra’s massages always hit the spot.

“My love, I’ve been craving this all day.”

“I can tell! I’ve never seen you so frightened before.”

Edgar sighed. The burden to hold secrets gripped him again. He turned and looked at Terra. “I was. These missions just get to me more than others I guess.”

Terra stopped rubbing. She looked at Edgar’s eyes. She saw conflict. “Edgar, please tell me what actually happened. You can’t get it out of your mind. Let me take it for you. I am Queen, I can share the burden of those Shadow guys.” She saw him begin to cry. She wrapped her arms around him. “Edgar, I’m so sorry…”

“Terra, do you think less of me for holding my tongue?”

“Edgar, I never think less of you. I know you. You’d never do anything intentional to hurt people.”

He then looked up, tears and pain in his eyes. “If you truly wish to know my pain, I must swear you to secrecy. This _must_ remain between us. This cannot fall into the realm of gossip you share with our other friends.”

Terra looked into his eyes and gave him a warm, sincere smile. “It means that much to you. Of course, I swear as your wife that I will guard this secret.”

Edgar began to tremble. “The mission is against the Kazen-”

Terra began to chuckle. “Oh, okay!” She made eye contact with Edgar, who was still upset. “Oh no, I’m sorry, love. It’s just that I’ve already assumed we had done something like that.” She hugged him. “I know you’ve worked so hard to foster good relations with them. I had just built up something much worse in my head about the mission.”

“Locke is the agent performing the work.”

Edgar looked up. Terra’s mouth had dropped, her face was now pale. She could not figure out what to say. Then her mouth slowly closed, and she nodded as she processed what Edgar had just said. “That does explain your behavior today.” No emotion behind her words existed. Then he felt her eyes begin to warm. “Did you talk to him?”

“Well, first we screamed at each other. Then we talked.”

“How is he?” Terra’s voice and emotion had returned. Edgar noticed that she was excited and without any anger.

“He actually has some muscle on that wiry frame now.”

“Impossible!”

Edgar chuckled. “He didn’t talk much about what he had done before joining the Shadow Ops.” Then he closed his eyes in pain. “But I do think Kingsley found him while he was contemplating suicide.”

Terra hushed herself. “What?”

“I can’t believe it either. All I know is that Locke feels he owes them something, including a second chance at life. He promised to find Celes after his tour ends in ten months. And while he thinks she’ll find closure and say goodbye, he’s okay with that. He knows he screwed up. I don’t think he actually believed me when I told him Celes would most likely take him back.”

He felt Terra crying happy tears. “I knew it! I knew they were destined to be together again!” She suddenly widened her eyes. “Oh wow, now it’s more important than ever that I keep her focused on Locke! Just ten more months! Kinnick will just have to deal with it!” She looked at Edgar lovingly. “Doesn’t it fill you with happiness, to know that happy times will be back soon?”

Edgar couldn’t answer. He remembered how he had opened up to Locke about the shared pains of work trumping relationships. He looked at Terra. “It does. I just have to figure out how to keep the kingdom going while I order Celes away from the Council for a while.”

“I can help with that!” He then grabbed her hands, making her tingle inside. She swooned when he did that. “Yes, my love?”

“It’s time I practiced what I preached and focused on you for a while.” He pulled her toward him and passionately kissed her all over.

Two hours later, they lay in bed together, happy. Terra stretched her arms and returned them to their normal position of resting on his chest. The chatter had started to drift into sleep. “Edgar?”

“Yes, my love?”

“Your secret will be forever safe with me.”

He smiled. He knew he didn’t have to ask her to say such things. It still felt good to hear it.


	12. The Night Before the Mission

The streets felt different. A lot of new buildings had come up, but many of the old ones still remained. Locke noticed cranes apparently being prepared to erect something large in the pass west of the city. His training told him that would be a viable exit strategy once his work was completed. Few people would dare venture down that way to Olde Town, and even fewer would do so during the holiday tomorrow. It was at least one option.

The smell of the food caught his nose. Many of the region’s flavors were on display in the market. He recalled most of them. A wave of nostalgia came over him. _Feels good to be back_.

He was now in New Narshe. His mission had begun.

He found a small alleyway and touched the ETCH now in his right ear. “Mission Control, Shadow 15. I’ve reached New Narshe. Acknowledge.”

“Shadow 15, we acknowledge. Orders are to stay low. Check back in once you’ve found your sleeping arrangements.”

“Shadow 15 acknowledges. Will contact soon with sleeping arrangements. Shadow 15 out.” He tapped the button twice. _Now, what to do for three hours…_

Memory lane brought him to two meat stands for his dinner. He moved through the people like a professional shadow. After he had finished his dinner, he turned his attention to the layout of the city he had learned. His memory brought him to a run down part of the city that he knew well. This used to house most of Narshe’s militia. Now he knew it held the majority of the Kazen’s intelligence archives. This building would be the site of the job. The building attached on his left still ran as a series of laboratories, though the building could probably use some work.

Locke refocused himself as he walked the route a second time. Once the job was done, he would exit through the far doors, closest to the labs, head down the street away from the complex. It would temporarily bring him closer to city center, but it would be less detectable than streets where festival preparations had already begun.

His mind was working flawlessly. He recalculated the route. This would be fine.

He then found the perfect inn. It was an older inn, one that did not ask questions of its patrons and merely asked gil up front at an hourly rate. They wouldn’t require ID and would give him the privacy he requested. Locke sighed, knowing that such knowledge of this inn was a poor reflection of his childhood and teenage years.

He paid until six the next morning. That gave him ten hours, plenty for sleep and preparation. He then found his room.

Once inside, he pulled his DATE from his inner jacket pocket. It was time to work in silence. He pushed TRANSMIT, and waited. Soon enough, the amber light shined. Mission Control was awaiting his message. He typed his sleeping arrangements and time he expected to start tomorrow. 0700. He received the acknowledgement and agreement to the time. He then turned off the DATE.

Now it was time to reflect on his plan. Once inside the archive, he would access the databanks to find the location of Project Extraction. He would immediately get to its location and learn the data. Once he could find time to submit it to Mission Control, he would do so. Then, he could escape. His planning left him roughly an hour and a half inside, with close to forty minutes to read and learn the information regarding the Extraction Project.

_Gotta love routine work._

He looked at his clock. Ten o clock. He rolled over and fell asleep quickly. That was another important reward of the training he had received. He had finally learned how to fall asleep and fall asleep fast.

 

“SURPRISE!”

Celes screamed, and then turned and punched Sabin, who was crying tears with laughter. The force brought him to the ground, making everyone else erupt in laughter. She immediately recognized everyone there, the entire band of random heroes that had faced off against Kefka and won. She just didn’t expect to see them in her house.

She felt Terra give her a hug from behind. “Surprise, sweetie! Felt like you needed a party and celebration for all you’ve done. They all wanted to show up and scare you.”

“Well, they certainly did that.”

Celes began giving everyone hugs and pleasantries. They had all grown up in their own ways. First, Cyan of Doma was there. The two had nearly come to blows in their first meeting, a product of warring kingdoms. Tonight, he was there with his stunningly beautiful new wife, a widowed war survivor from Maranda. Next came Setzer, the man whose airship had allowed her to find all of her friends after the world’s end. Gau was there, smiling. Strago and Relm had even braved a dangerous journey from Thamasa to show up. Gogo, the mimic they had found inside a monster’s belly, was also there, but Celes had to admit she had no clue where he now spent his time. Mog unfortunately hadn’t changed looks at all, but as a Moogle that was expected. His yeti friend Umaro even showed up wearing a tie. Celes chuckled as she felt his stronger than normal arm crash around her. Shadow remained aloof, except to help Relm play with his loyal dog, Interceptor. With Terra, Edgar, and Sabin behind her, this covered the entire group.

She smiled but then sighed. One member of that group was absent that night.

“Vice Chancellor, tonight you aren’t allowed to think about that!” Setzer exclaimed.

“I won’t, I won’t. But stop calling me that!”

“Fine, fine, ex-Magistrate!” The laughter started and only elevated when she slapped him. _Same ol’ Setzer_ , she thought to herself as she laughed.

Drinks poured into glasses over and over. For the night, the group could unwind and enjoy their common bond and friendships. Locke eventually came up, as expected. They all agreed to kick him a few times and then welcome back. He had been such a monumental force in defeating Kefka that they decided to give him another chance. The declarations certainly made Celes happier than before, even if alcohol might be clouding their judgments.

As the evening moved on, the more raucous events unfolded. After declaring himself the strongest man in the room by pinning Cyan, Setzer never saw Umaro come crash into him and stand on his stomach, arms raised triumphantly. “Me strongest! You puny gambler!” he shouted, to cheers and applause. Relm’s portrait of the group with Sabin holding his nose and Strago applying bunny ears to Edgar brought more laughter. Perhaps the funniest moment came when Terra attempted to dance to the local folk music and Gogo drunkenly failed at mimicking it. “Your highness, Queen Left Feet!” shouted Mog. Celes and Cyan stunned everyone by dancing the flamenco together, being showered with cheers. His wife then asked why he had refused to dance with her. Cyan left the room for a moment red with embarrassment while the party laughed. He came back in and suddenly took her hand, swinging her around the room with dancing precision, ending the song by dipping her and giving her a long, passionate kiss. More cheers.

Finally, the events were to coming to an end. Many had to leave. Celes, Edgar, Terra, and Sabin were going to remain at the house and have a brunch tomorrow. They said their goodbyes and openly wondered when the next get-together was going to be. Setzer’s airship was the near unanimous choice, the lone dissenter a grumbling Setzer who had volunteered Umaro’s cave. “Partying with the Kazen could be filled with dangerous excitement, and a certain Vicelord… ow.” Another slap and another round of laughter.

As the partygoers trickled out, Celes was alone in the living room. She smiled and began to clean up. As she looked up, she saw Shadow in the backyard, tending to Interceptor. She walked out to see him. “Hope you weren’t planning on strolling out without saying goodbye.”

“Almost. But then I had to thank you for hosting a wonderful time tonight.”

“Hope it was wonderful for you. You did a great job not saying much.”

“That would be my nature.”

Celes smiled. She wanted to ask Shadow about his hunt for Locke, but decided not to press the matter. Besides, she wasn’t sure she was supposed to know about the bounty. Instead, she gazed up at the sky. No clouds and a waning crescent moon. “It still means a lot that you were willing to join us for this occasion.”

“But of course. It was good to see everyone back together.”

“Yeah…”

“Celes.”

“Yes?”

“He’s out there somewhere.”

Celes let out another sigh. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’d have found him by now otherwise, and I haven’t seen his obituary come up anywhere.”

“That’s comforting,” she said sarcastically.

“It’s a possible piece of information to evaluate. I don’t like the idea, either, but my goal is to at least find out something, good or bad.”

Suddenly, Shadow felt Celes from behind, giving him a hug and a quick peck on the back of the neck. He had no clue why. “Thank you Shadow for trying to find him.” She then let him go and smiled as he turned around. “Please stay safe out there, and make sure Interceptor gets the extra chicken skewers we packed for you!”

Shadow nodded. He understood. Three seconds later, the pair were gone.

Back inside, she saw Sabin passed out on the couch. She had let Edgar and Terra use the master bedroom. That left the guest room bed, which was still a nice size. Locke had insisted for it so that if they had held parties for couples that at least one couple could crash if needed. Tonight it would be for one. The partying and alcohol helped her fall asleep quickly, but not quick enough that she sent out a prayer to protect Locke wherever he may be.


	13. Infiltration

The clock struck 0600. Right on the dot, Kingsley entered Mission Control. It was a large room filled with many people at desks wearing headphones. Those people, Phone Talkers, were the 24/7 contact with the agents out in the world, taking in reports and reporting to the Mission Managers and Supervisors. A wall of larger version DATEs allowed the agents to type in their data and send it to Mission Control. The personnel assigned to these machines, Data Takers, routinely scanned their DATEs to ensure the machinery never failed to run. The morning shift had already taken their seats and were running through their initial checks of their equipment. _Such a well-oiled machine already,_ he thought to himself as he beamed with pride.

The next flurry of activity happened roughly fifteen minutes later. All satisfactory reports and newly archived data was presented to the shift Control Supervisor. He reviewed the data, made some marks, signed, and then presented it to Kingsley. Kingsley then took his turn at reviewing the progress from the previous day. Once he was finished, he handed off one copy of the papers to the shift Archivists, who disappeared from the room to begin filing the new riches. The other copy was handed to the Lead Data Analyst, who then disappeared from the room to begin studying the new intelligence on their enemies.

They’d normally be done a bit sooner, but a flurry of activity erupted over a SOS input from a field agent. “Shadow 186, we acknowledge. Procedure Echo is authorized. Make contact when safe,” a Phone Talker said aloud. The last cog in the room, the Procedures Technicians, had already pulled out the procedure to make sure the Phone Talker was able to best communicate with the agent. After two minutes, the Phone Talker smiled. “This is Mission Control. We acknowledge success of Procedure Echo. Glad to hear you’re safe. Mission Control grants you four hours to lie low and determine if a second chance is there. Shadow 186, acknowledge.” Kingsley smiled. Another use of conservative doctrine to promote agent safety over reckless abandon had worked. It made sense to him. It was much more difficult and costly to replace a captured agent than to regroup and try again at a later date.

The final step was to tally what to expect for the six hour shift. So far, two agents had checked in with successful reports. A third should be making contact within forty minutes. The fourth, Shadow 186, had safely backed out from a precarious situation.

Locke would be the fifth and final agent to check in. That wouldn’t be for close to forty-five minutes.

“Kingsley, sir, all reports are in. Full support now available for the agents,” James Markham said. He was the Control Supervisor for this shift.

“Excellent, my boy! You are aware of today’s schedule?”

“Yes sir. The code white preparations are underway. Will be done by 0645.”

“Great work! That is when I shall return, then. As you were! Protect the darkness.”

“To save the light!” echoed the room.

 

Locke fidgeted nervously. In front of him was the door to the Intelligence Archive. The night shift was beginning to trickle out, excitingly discussing the festival that day. Soon, a small task force would be taking its shift in the building. By 0700, they would be into their routines. Locke would exploit their routines to get where he needed. That had been part of the training, but that had also been a common sense idea he had picked up on early in life. Until then, he had to sit and wait for contact from Mission Control, and go over his plans and methods one more time. He checked his watch again. 0646. The building now resembled what he had hoped it would: empty sans for several people, and the janitor that he knew would be there, filling his water bottle, just like the deep cover agent’s analysis had shown.

_Why in the hell haven’t they contacted me? I’m ready to go…_

He heard the beep. “Shadow 15, Mission Control. Code White conditions set. Send report with acknowledgement.”

“Mission Control, Shadow 15. I acknowledge conditions. Scene is stable. Request authorization for Procedure Alpha.”

After a moment, he heard the beep he had been waiting for. “Shadow 15, you have authorization. Report on any problems or on ten minute intervals when possible.”

“Mission Control, Shadow 15 acknowledges. Commence mission.”

Away he went, into the building.

 

The first floor of the archive was open to anyone, so no one would bat an eye when Locke walked confidently into the lobby. He slowly walked to the directory. He set his face and stature to a position that would encourage people not to pay attention to him. When he arrived, he quickly scanned the list. _The report said to look for ‘historical…’ Ah, here we go!_ Third floor, North Wing. _Now for that disguise…_

He quickly identified the janitor rolling his cart to the elevator. He followed carefully, not too close yet not too far, and politely thanked the janitor when he held the door for him while shading a good chunk of his face.

Once inside, Locke dropped his shoulder bag, chuckled at his clumsiness, and reached down to pick it up. In a split second, he snatched cleaning gloves, a surgical mask, a protective apron, and a portable floor sweeper, and he placed them into his bag. Then he popped back up, smiling. The janitor would be getting off at the second floor.

_Bing!_ The doors opened, and the janitor left. The doors closed with only him in it now. He rode the elevator to his destination. He stepped off and walked straight ahead into the bathroom he knew would be there.

Once inside, he donned all of his new materials, and opened up the floor sweeper to its normal size. He then pulled out a small bag containing false facial hair and a wig, and he applied them quickly. When he was done, he looked in the mirror. He was proud of his work: he looked exactly like the janitor who would be cleaning the second floor.

_Ah, how no one ever really understands the routines of people they don’t actively engage._

Back out in the hallway, he took his sweeper and headed down the North Wing. In his mind he remembered the data vault he was looking for: _N312. Hopefully that only means twelve rooms down._

Locke checked his watch. 0703. He had commenced the mission fifteen minutes ago. He tapped his ETCH, and spoke quietly. He then kept walking and sweeping. They would acknowledge soon enough, and he knew he had to keep to his schedule. About three rooms down, he heard the beep. He continued to walk. He was now in a zone of comfort that he enjoyed. _All according to plan._

He turned a corner. There, to his left, was a room labeled N312. Its sign said RESTRICTED DATA. TOP SECRET AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED FOR ENTRY. He was there.

And he kept walking and sweeping, so as not to alert the Security Division sentry patrolling just a few steps ahead.

As the sentry passed him, Locke hid his eyes, humming the same tune he had heard the janitor humming in the elevator. In his peripheral vision, he observed the sentry’s actions at the door. He used his flashlight and inspected every aspect of the room. He pulled hard on the door and fidgeted to ensure the door was locked. He then turned around and repeated the procedure on the opposite door. He then disappeared around the corner.

Locke looked ahead of him. Based off his calculations and the data the deep cover agent had provided, he had been promised roughly forty minutes to mine the data based on the sentry’s normal tour. The report had not calculated the ten minutes or so the sentry would be in the hallway. He cursed under his breath as he pulled his new sophisticated lock picking tool out and began to jimmy the door. _Top Secret data held by a keylock._ Locke sighed. The door sprung open quietly seconds later.

Locke entered the room, placing his hands on the door latch. He knew the door would relock and trap him in if he didn’t set the latch properly. He unrolled string from a bracelet he had woven and used it to tie down the latch. He stepped out to verify his trick worked. It did. He reentered the room. The door still looked locked shut from the outside.

He stared again at his watch. 0707. _Not bad timing_. He estimated his time left in the room to be twenty-six minutes to be safe. He turned on his low-beam flashlight and made for the filing cabinets in the back of the small room. Once there, he tapped his ETCH and informed Mission Control he was beginning to data mine. He opened up the first dossier.

Locke finished up the filing cabinets in eighteen minutes. All in all, he had skimmed roughly two hundred documents and had picked out he data he knew Figaro would need. He then closed the cabinets and turned to the door. Once there, he scanned the room. _Just like it was when I got here._ He removed his string as he exited. He turned and checked the door to make sure it was locked. It was. He picked up his sweeper and walked toward the elevator bank.

While he walked, Locke was busy in thought at what he had read. He closed his eyes, feelings of dread coming over him. Military tactics were easy data to mine, but what he had seen sent shivers through his spine. Figaro would go crazy with this information, especially if its contents were true.

He snapped out of it. The report to Mission Control would be sent as soon as he had some freedom outside. He returned to the bathroom. Inside, he tapped his ETCH. “Mission Control, Shadow 15. Data mine complete. Report to be sent in safer conditions. Acknowledge.” He then exited again, and looked through the glass to the second floor below him. As he had anticipated, there was the janitor, cleaning the hall in the West Wing. Locke skipped the elevator bank and instead took the stairs down to the first floor. He was now back in the lobby.

Locke looked around. Only one person, probably a scientist, was there. She was busy reading a paper on something he had never heard of and didn’t care for. He hummed the janitor’s tune as he walked out of the building.

Locke smiled. In and out, like the machine he had become. No hesitation and no trouble. All that was left to do was walk out through Olde Town. He had already decided on that option, a little longer but much less dangerous. Plus, he knew its tunnels and secrets from his days of old. He doffed his janitor clothing and kept the facial hair and wig, per protocol. He then began to walk in the direction of the laboratories adjacent to the archive.

As he passed the point where the laboratories began, he tapped his ETCH. “Mission Control, Shadow 15. At time 0733, I am out of immediate danger zone. Will transmit data in safer location. Acknowledge.” He walked a little slower, deciding to stroll for a moment as he witnessed two people cross a street in front of him. He heard the acknowledgement. He then walked quickly again.

_Routine work completed. What a relief…_


	14. Consequences of Decisions

Suddenly, Locke felt his feet come out from under him and he landed on his back. It had taken him a moment to realize what was happening. He hadn’t felt this in a while, since he had been out of the region for some time.

_Earthquake. Just my luck._

He absorbed the light rumbling for twenty seconds, and it passed. He got up and collected himself. He began to grumble. This was going to bring a lot more people to the streets. He analyzed the situation further. It shouldn’t present much danger, as his success in being undetected meant he could still probably walk out with minimal resistance. His route should still be safe. After all, Olde Town was built to handle earthquakes. _Continue with current plan_. Besides, as he looked around, no one had come out to inspect for damage. It was a light one for the region.

He walked along further, just about past the laboratories now. Not a soul to be seen. Locke stopped for a moment to determine which side street to utilize.

That’s when he heard a sound he hadn’t heard before. A painful, screeching, wailing sound. He covered his ears to drown out the pitch. Suddenly, he saw a huge smoke plume from his right. It was coming from the direction of the laboratories. He turned to look just in time to see the building suddenly split down the middle. The earthquake had finished off the last of the structural integrity that years of tremors had worn away. He stared in horror as half of the building began to tumble down to the earth. Thirty seconds later, the dust cloud dissipated.

Locke knocked the dust from his face and clothing. That’s when he heard a sound he dreaded he would hear. His eyes and ears followed the source to one of the ledges of the half of the laboratory still standing, though creaking loudly. His heart sank when he realized what the source was.

Up roughly fifty feet was a woman holding a child, screaming. She was trapped, and most certainly doomed.

And he was the only one on the street.

Locke cursed. _Protocol is to exit the region as fast and safely as possible_ , he reminded himself.

The building started to shake again, elevating her screams.

_Damnit, I can’t abandon them_.

Seconds later, Locke was climbing what remained of an emergency ladder, both unsure of why he wasn’t escaping and sure he was doing the right thing. “Hang on!” he screamed.

 

Adrenaline helped him complete the climb in roughly a minute. He was now on the same platform as the woman and child. He screamed above her screams to hand over the child. Once that was done, he secured the boy to his chest. Then, he placed a makeshift harness around the woman and picked her up and placed her on his back against her wishes. He then ran much more slowly back to the makeshift ladder. He began his descent, trying to tune out the now much louder screaming and ignoring her arms smacking into his head.

Every step down now made the whole apparatus creak and quiver. Halfway down, the boy started crying and gripping into his chest. Locke winced but maintained his composure. _Just a little farther…_

He touched down. He quickly released the child and flipped the woman over his shoulder, placing her on the ground. “Ma’am! Please calm down! You’re safe now.”

Then the sound from before returned. The other half had begun its collapse.

Locke picked both woman and child up and ran away from the building remnants, trying to avoid the cloud of smoke. Finally, after about twenty seconds, he stopped and placed them down.

The woman and child were now silent and shaking. Locke looked into the woman’s eyes. “Ma’am, you’re both safe now! You’re going to be okay.” He then looked at his watch. Five minutes ago, he had decided to climb the ladder. He had accomplished his goal. He smiled.

Then he looked around. There were now a lot of people around. Several had run to the woman and child to check on them. One was in Kazen uniform and was toting a medical kit. The rest stared at him. Locke began to feel uncomfortable.

Suddenly, he felt what he thought was a twinge of pain in his right hand. It then immediately shot up his arm, and dissipated. He looked at his finger. It was bruised pretty badly. Probably a product of the kid’s nails. He dusted himself off more.

Suddenly a man walked up to him. He had a very unsettling look on his face. Locke now felt very uncomfortable. Suddenly, the man wrapped his arms around Locke, crying. Locke eventually freed himself. He stared at the man, who stared back. “It was no problem, really. I’m just glad they are safe. Help them for me, okay?” He then tried to turn and walk toward Olde Town. _When I report this, I’m sure I won’t be tasked to return here anyways._

Suddenly, behind him, he heard an angry voice. He didn’t even have to turn around. He had recognized a couple of the uniforms. Security Division. Based off the insignias, they had to be Investigators. They no doubt had wanted to ask him questions. Locke knew he had to turn around again. So he did.

“I said turn around now!”

Locke sized him up. Locke would lose in a fist fight, no doubt. “I heard you.”

The Investigator seemingly stared above him, and then at his face. Suddenly he scowled, “I told you, didn’t I? Spy! Alert Security and Military now!”

_Shit_.

Locke already knew what had happened. He began to feel a piece of his false facial hair peel further away. He touched his wig, which had been pulled halfway off by the woman during the descent.

_Time to begin evasive maneuvers._ Locke looked around. By his feet, he noticed a bucket of water that had been brought for the woman and child.

The motion was swift and very effective. The water flew out toward the Investigator. Almost as instantaneously, Locke kicked up a quick dust storm, causing many at the scene to cough and wipe at their eyes. He then turned around and began running as fast as possible.

As he ran, he knew he had no choice. He quickly tapped his ETCH in a four button sequence. He heard the SOS alarm begin to buzz. It would quiet once it was acknowledged. He kept running. Ten seconds. Twenty seconds. Thirty seconds.

_What the fuck is going on over there? Answer me! I need help!_


	15. Procedure Omega

Cheers had erupted in Mission Control once Locke had acknowledged he had left the building. With the most dangerous part of the mission complete, and given Locke’s track record, most of the personnel in the room were now more at ease, chatting with each other. Even Kingsley was smiling and prattling on with Markham about new missions.

In that celebration, Woods had unknowingly hit the SOS alarm at his panel to SILENCE, a major violation of procedure. They would not discover that mistake until it was too late.

Woods was chuckling with his Procedure Technician and Mission manager, oblivious to his panel and headphones off. No one seemed to be paying attention to the amber light now flashing on the panel. It was strange, given that amber lights were dedicated to casualties in Mission Control. Suddenly Kingsley’s eye caught it midsentence. He quickly walked toward the panel and his fear was confirmed. “ _What the hell am I paying you for?”_

That broke the jovial mood. Woods looked nervous, then his eye caught his mistake. He quickly refocused and turned to hit the button. He then took the alarm back to ARMED. He spoke as fast as he could. “Shadow 15, Mission Control. SOS alarm received.”

“What the fuck?”

“Shadow 15, we are here. Give report.”

“I’ve been outed!”

Woods almost fell out of his chair. The Mission Manager immediately flipped the switch at his panel to override Woods. Now he was in contact with Locke. “Shadow 15, this is Mission Manager. Repeat last statement.”

“I’ve been outed!”

Cold sweat ran down his face. “Shadow 15, we acknowledge you’ve been outed.” Now the room went silent.

Kingsley quickly grabbed the headset from him. “Locke, it’s Kingsley. Tell me what happened.”

“Earthquake. People flurried out. My disguise was compromised. Investigator alerted the Kazen to my existence.”

Kingsley’s heart sank. For the first time in his program, one of his spies had been discovered. Still, he maintained composure. “Locke, listen to me. Get out any way you can. You are authorized to do whatever you have to. Understand? We have everyone here getting in contact with deep cover agents and support personnel in the region. Keep calm. We are going to get you out of there. Keep us updated.”

“Yes sir. Shadow 15 out for… shit.” Then silence.

The rest of the room had already begun executing Procedure Omega, the emergency response to assist an agent who was in immediate danger. Kingsley also knew what that meant for him. He briefed Markham on his duties and turned on his ETCH. Woods would be his phone talker for the next hour or so.

Markham shouted back, “Do you know where he is right now?”

“That I do. Probably close to forty minutes round trip. Try and get Shadow 15 to figure out his position in the city so deep cover can offer whatever assistance they can.”

Kingsley hurried out of the bunker and onto the streets of South Figaro. He set his course for a house on the coast. His target was the king. Per Procedure Omega, he was obligated to inform him of the problem. And he knew he was going to be angry.

 

“Sigh… why do I struggle so much with eggs?”

“That’s easy Celes. They don’t scream at you in front of the Council!”

Celes and Terra were in the kitchen preparing some breakfast. Celes grumbled. So much time spent out of the kitchen had made her self conscious when she frequently botched meals. “Thank you, Terra.”

It was pushing slightly after eight. The group was now awake. Sabin was finishing the cleaning of the living room. Celes was preparing food and Terra had been perfecting a new comedy routine centering around it. Edgar was in the master bedroom still, reviewing morning paperwork prepared for him by his assistants. The plan was to relax by the beach for the morning.

Then they heard a knock at the door. Sabin went to open it. Terra and Celes remained focused on the cooking.

“… Well, the Queen is out right now.”

Suddenly, there were Kingsley and Sabin in the kitchen. Kingsley had a look of worry all over his face. He bowed. “Your Highness, I must see the King at once. It is indeed urgent!”

That’s when Celes noticed Terra. Her skin had grown pale, her eyes widening. “Terra?”

Terra already had a rough idea of what was going on. She looked at the clock, and did the calculation in her head. The timing was too coincidental. “He is in the master bedroom.”

“Thank you, your Highness,” he quickly replied, and ran off into the master bedroom. The group heard the door click shut.

Terra suddenly moved to the hallway between the master bedroom and the front door. She knew Edgar would need help handling this. She wasn’t going to let him go it alone. Sabin and Celes looked confused, trying to comprehend the situation. That was when they heard Edgar, louder than ever before, crystal clear through the wall. “Don’t you _DARE_ tell me that!”

Terra winced. This was bad.

Suddenly Edgar walked out, a look of anger on his face that none of his friends had ever seen before. Kingsley was still trying to calm him down. He walked up to Terra. “I have to run.” He then nodded to Terra to confirm her fears. He watched her swallow a breath, her reflex to keep her emotions in check. She was ready. “I will alert you as soon as I know more. We will do everything to help, of course.”

“I know you will. I will remain here. Let me know if anything drastically changes.”

Suddenly, Edgar hissed. Kingsley had interrupted them. “Your Majesty, I do apologize, but we must run if you insist to join. Shadow 15 just evaded another squadron and is trying to find an escape point.”

“Now is not the time to order me around. We will get there. Terra is going to help here.”

Then Kingsley threw caution to the wind. “Your Majesty, I understand, but time is of the essence. Emotion will only cause more risk. This is why it is best to leave the Shadows as what they are, just Shadows.”

Suddenly, Edgar’s right fist met Kingsley’s chin knocking him back and onto his rear. In the next instant, Edgar was on him, choking him. Rage was in his eyes. Kingsley had gone too far. The group stood in shock. Edgar began screaming.

“Just a Shadow? Are you fucking kidding me? They are people! And you better get this straight, you pompous shit _._ Locke will always be more than a Shadow! _Do you understand?”_

In the next instant, the anger left Edgar. He let go of Kingsley, who grabbed his own throat, coughing. His eyes had opened all of the way, and he began to shake. As soon as he said it, he felt regret. He turned to Terra, who remained stoic, fighting back tears. Sabin stood there next to her, confused. But he finally caught the eye of Celes, and immediately recoiled due to the pain in his heart.

Celes stood there, stunned. No movement. The teacup that had been in her hand was now several pieces on the ground. Edgar knew she was processing what he had just blurted out. They all stood motionless for almost a minute.

Edgar then turned to Sabin, acting on emotion and edict. “You will stay with Celes. The assistants will call for medical personnel to arrive here for her. Terra, I know you will stay here to assist in any way you can. I will keep you informed. I am on my way to Mission Control. Locke’s in danger, and I don’t care what it takes, but I will make sure he gets out of it safely.”

He turned to the door. Suddenly, he heard a quiet voice behind him. “Please let me join you.”

“Terra, Celes will need you here.”

“Um, Edgar, that was Celes.”

He suddenly turned around. Celes was now standing next to him. She looked like a soulless robot. “I cannot guarantee what will happen this morning. So long as you’re okay with that, you are free to join.”

Celes nodded and slowly walked out the door.

Terra walked up to Edgar and gave him a hug and kiss. “Thank you, you did the right thing there. I will watch the house.”

“She may never forgive me for this.”

“Yes she will. We all support you.”

“Your Majesty, bringing her along is not a good idea…”

It was Terra’s turn. She turned and kicked Kingsley as hard as she could in the stomach, knocking the air out of him and sending him back to the ground.

Edgar kissed his wife. “Beautiful technique, my love.” He then headed to the door. “Kingsley, I’d recommend you keep your mouth shut for the rest of the trip to Mission Control. Celes won’t be so gentle, and I will authorize it.”

Kingsley winced. He knew a rib had bruised, possibly cracked. “Yes, of course your Majesty.”

 

The carriage trip would take five minutes. The three sat in there, alone in their own thoughts. Kingsley had been listening to updates through his ETCH. Edgar could only focus on Celes. She had not moved. Her ghostly face felt dead and frozen in time. He knew the shock would not wear off for some time. He also knew this would haunt her for even longer. He refused to waver. She needed him to stay strong and supportive of her.

Celes sat there, unable to move, afraid to feel anything. She only let her rational brain work to figure out the details. _Locke was indeed alive. He was in Shadow Ops. Edgar and Terra knew. They probably had found out two days ago in that dossier that made Edgar angry. Edgar had clearly authorized him to go. No clue what Locke had done before joining. Now Locke was in trouble somewhere in the world._

Celes suddenly focused on Edgar. “Edgar, where is Locke right now?”

“New Narshe.”

Celes didn’t move a muscle. She simply nodded, then returned to her mind. _Locke is stuck in New Narshe. He won’t divulge his allegiance. Anyone there who can help has probably been notified. I know he has the capabilities to escape. If he is caught, he will be executed…_

She suddenly focused on Kingsley. “Do you think he can escape?”

“Celes, I know he can escape.”

“How are you so sure?”

“Because he’s our best.”

“I see.” And then she returned to her mind. _Odds are good that he will survive._ She then closed her eyes. _Locke, please hear my prayer. Do whatever you can to reach safety. I need to see you again. I need to feel your breath. I need to hold you and comfort you. I need to tell you I forgive you. I need you to hear that I love you with all of my heart. Please, return to me. I don’t care how. Just return to me._

Then the tears began to pour. This time, Kingsley was wise. He immediately turned and placed his arms around her and gave her shoulder blades a small rub. He quietly repeated to her, “Let it out. Don’t hold back. We’re all here for you.”

Edgar nodded in agreement, and gave Celes a small smile. _We are here for you_.


	16. Into the Darkness

"What the hell, these reports don’t make sense.” An Investigator kept rereading the reports he had just been handed. His nametag read SLIMAK, JUSTIN. He was the Lead Investigator now for the case of the newly outed spy.

“I agree, sir. We sure he’s actually a spy?” his assistant asked. Her nametag read KOHL, DAISY.

“Until we find him, we won’t know for sure. The tracker should make that simple enough.”

It had been roughly five minutes since Locke had turned to run. A tracker had now been turned on, and they could see Locke running toward Olde Town. Slimak still couldn’t grasp the reports coming in. A clear disguise, reports of something like a futuristic disc in his ear, and his quick evasion of Investigators surely indicated ‘Spy’ quite clearly. Then again, why had he risked his own life to save two complete strangers?

Suddenly, there was a rustling behind him. Slimak turned around and saw an officer in Military Division. Her nametag read CURLEY, ALICIA. She was directly below Kelbesque in authority but much more approachable. She led New Narshe Security and military branches. “Captain Slimak, I am acting as Military Head of this manhunt. Let me know what you’ve got.”

“Yes ma’am.” He handed her the reports. “Best we can tell, he’s either a crazy man from the city with a heart of gold, or he’s a horrible spy with a heart of gold.”

Curley reviewed the reports. “Hmm… silver hair, taller build… saved a scientist and her child, the hell?”

“They apparently became trapped at her lab when it collapsed this morning. Husband wrote up the report on her behalf. She was behind in research and decided to finish it up and watch the son at the same time.”

“Incredible. He must’ve been targeting the archive and happened to be there when the accident occurred. Sounds like the only reason we found the spy is because he wanted to be a hero. Anything else?”

“Yes, he displayed quick cunning in sabotaging a capture attempt. Two Investigators are being treated at the Infirmary in the district for eye irritation, as are several civilians.”

“Interesting approach.”

“General, what is it?”

She nodded and smirked. “So far, our spy hasn’t been trying to hurt anyone and has saved two civilian lives. I find that an interesting way to do intelligence work, that’s all.” She shook Slimak’s hands. “My headset number is 065. Keep me informed as you learn more. We are going to initiate city lockdown per Lord Alma’s orders. My men will have orders to capture alive by any means deemed necessary and within compliance, with death only due to a sudden change in his behavior. Do you understand?”

“Yes ma’am!”

“Let your Field Investigators know. I will return in fifteen with Security’s reports.”

She then walked away.

 

“Alive? What the hell?” Kelbesque was none too pleased. His report from Curley did not report reasoning, only the course to be taken. He was now in an emergency council with Lord Alma and Vicelord Kinnick, along with several pages.

Lord Alma didn’t seem to notice. “Her report is as is. You shall follow it, as her men will do.”

Kelbesque scowled. He hated showing spies any mercy.

“My Lord,” Kinnick spoke, “they are waiting on your order for a citywide lockdown.”

“Very well.” She tapped her headset. “Commence city lockdown.” She then looked at Kinnick. “Anything else I should know so far?”

“I take it you prefer details at the trial?”

“Indeed. I have other matters to attend to. That will be all for now. Meeting adjourned. Inform me when the bottom feeder is apprehended.”

 

Locke had abandoned most of his training by now. Procedures were out the window. Now it was all about survival, and that was one of his specialties. He was now just about in Olde Town, and he knew the tunnels and hidden passages there better than anyone in New Narshe. Luckily, he hadn’t seen any Kazen Security forces since he had literally left them in his dust almost six minutes ago.

Suddenly, his heart sank. He heard the citywide sound system blare a long blast and a short blast, repeating for a minute.

The city’s lockdown alarm had sounded. In two minutes, all major arteries of traffic into and out of the city would be secured. People would be shuttered into the nearest businesses or homes. Anyone he saw now was going to be a member of Military Division or Investigation Division.

He was slowly becoming trapped.

_Shit, shit, shit._

He tapped his ETCH. “Mission Control, Shadow 15, city lockdown alarm just sounded.”

Two moments later, he heard a beep. “Shadow 15, we acknowledge. We are currently gathering intelligence to find anything that will help you get out. Alert us to any changes and we shall do the same. Stay safe!”

“Acknowledged,” he grumbled.

For the first time since he had started field work, Locke realized just how alone he truly was during a mission, especially when anything went wrong. Moments waiting for Mission Control had felt like an eternity. He had quickly morphed into a terrified man with paranoia and a desire to do whatever it took to evade capture. No one could help him now except him. He started into Olde Town. It would still probably take twenty to thirty minutes to reach the edge of town where he had seen the construction site. He had to focus and hold it together until then.

Suddenly, he heard a shout behind him. “Halt! Turn around and come towards me with open hands!”

_No deal. You’re on my turf now._

Locke quickly darted into the alley to his left. He knew this one well. Just ahead lay a long ladder down into the sewers and aqueducts of Narshe. The cover of darkness down there would be his ally.

He took his time going down the ladder. He could already hear the shouts of the Kazen above him. Once he touched down, he turned up and saw three of them on the ledge above, one of them shouting, “Wait! Please hold up! Just surrender and make this easy!”

“Stay off the ladder!” he shouted up. He witnessed one Investigator suddenly pull himself back up furiously and return to solid ground.

Locke sighed. _No turning back now._ With a quick sweeping motion, his foot dislodged the ladder, sending it further down the ventilation shaft to his side. Unless they intended to try and fall roughly forty feet safely onto the small ledge he was on and not accidentally miss and head down the shaft with the ladder, they could go no further.

His reasoning was sound. He heard them curse. He retreated into the darkness. In his mind, he was safe for now.

Locke wandered the sewers for almost ten minutes. No sounds or movements except his were in the tunnels now. He reached back into his memory banks and recalled the path that led closer to the outskirts of Olde Town. _First left… now second right… left at the fork…_ The elevation was now bringing him closer to the surface. Soon, he was standing on a suspended pipe, walking across it slowly and carefully. He could make out a slight crack of light above him. Once he reached the other side, he would be very close to his destination.

Suddenly, he heard the voices above him. “Do you see him? Try and look through the street grate.”

_What the hell?_

Locke knew he had but one choice. He stopped walking, crouched, and grabbed the pipe. He quietly swung down until he was now hanging from it. He then let go, falling several feet before hitting the moss he knew was below him. He then quickly turned and ran the direction he had initially been going just above him. He was now out of sight again, and not a moment too soon, for he felt the Kazen rip up the street grate and saw several flashlight beams. Then he heard angry cursing.

“What the fuck? These things are useless.”

“Tracker says he’s right there, though!”

“Fucking useless piece of junk.”

“Well, we have no choice but to trust it. Let’s wait for a delayed response to see if it moves.”

Locke couldn’t believe it. When had a tracker embedded itself into him? He hadn’t felt it. In the darkness, he might be able to see it, but now he had no time to stop and check it. He thought to himself, and shrugged. _They can’t get into the building above me very easily._ He continued to run in that direction. It would show up on their trackers, but would still slow them down. The new route would take even longer to reach the edges of Olde Town, but he knew a route that could still get him there. He checked his watch. He had been on the run for roughly twenty minutes. He tapped his ETCH. “Mission Control, Shadow 15. I’m being tracked.”

Moments passed. “Shadow 15, we acknowledge. Can you remove it?”

“Haven’t had the time to look. They’re right above me. I’m in the sewers of Olde Town, trying to get to the outskirts.”

“Understood. Try and find that tracker. You’ll never be able to escape with it on. We’ll see what we can do with the layout for you.”

“Acknowledged.” He sighed. They hadn’t provided him with any information or assistance. But he knew they were right. He had to find that tracker as soon as he could.

 

“Ma’am, the problem is the dot can give us a location in the town but cannot tell us the altitude relative to the dot.”

“Captain Slimak, I understand that. If your men are so sure he burrowed down, though, we have two choices. Sit on top and wait him out, or send troops down into a cavernous system we don’t know much about.”

Curley and Slimak were having their meeting as Curley had promised. She was agitated at the situation but made sure not to take it out on him. “Captain, your Division been doing an excellent job. Keep it up. This is not an easy mission.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Curley was now looking at an archive of the building layout of Olde Town. She smiled as she reviewed the layout. She finally stood up. “Looks like a military sweep will have to finish this.” She tapped her headset. “Commander Jarvis.”

She heard a quick reply. “Standing by, ma’am!”

“Your squadron is to begin sweep operations through Olde Town. Bring the cavalry.”

“Ma’am, with all due respect, our artillery will not fit through most of the narrow streets there.”

“That will be challenging then. We can’t let him escape. I suspect he knows of tunnels that will let him get under the wall we constructed there last night. You have your orders.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Then silence.

Curley looked at Slimak. “Shit’s getting real.”

Slimak nodded. “Would your men kill him?”

“Negative. They know their orders. He hasn’t shown aggression yet. As your new report indicates, he even made sure they were off the ladder before he kicked it out. He let them report his position instead of letting them plummet.” She got up. “He has to be the nicest spy we’ve ever hunted. I’ll report more in twenty.”

 

Kelbesque smiled. “Curley finally came to her senses.”

Kinnick frowned. “Must it come to military romping through our streets?”

“Unfortunately, we were forced to make the call this time by an outside force.”

“An outside force that seems to protect everything in his path.”

“A bottom-feeding spy nonetheless. Whatever information he stole will not make up for his attempt at forgiveness.” Kelbesque got up to leave. “I am going to the sweep. I want to oversee this capture. Personally.”

Kinnick gave a disapproving stare. “Orders are alive. Don’t forget that, General.”

Kelbesque snarled. His reputation among handling spies was more well-founded than he liked to admit. “I will follow orders, but I will not show mercy to swine like spies!” He was then gone.

Kinnick now sat alone in the Conference Hall. He still couldn’t figure out what was driving this spy. All he knew was that we wished to meet him and figure out what had made him stop, neglect his duties, and save two lives. That meant he was a truly good man, despite the nature of his work. That was enough for Kinnick. A shiver went through him. “As far as I am concerned, he doesn’t deserve to die for this.”


	17. Tensions

The carriage finally showed up outside the compound. Edgar and Kingsley quickly exited and started walking in. Celes slowly followed behind. Suddenly, two Shadow ops Security forces blocked her way. “Sorry ma’am, but only authorized entry.”

Kingsley shouted back. “She is now authorized. I want three medics with her at all times inside.” The Security force nodded and tapped his ETCH. Kingsley smiled. The three went inside.

Soon, they were outside Mission Control’s doors. Kingsley gave them a quick breakdown of what to expect inside. Edgar nodded and followed his words. Celes still just stood there in a daze. She had run out of tears in the carriage and now three medics were ensuring she hydrated.

The doors opened and the three walked in. Edgar let out a breath of awe. Celes merely looked around. The personnel inside were locked into their roles and jobs, ruthlessly combing New Narshe records and city plans, constantly talking with deep cover agents, and ensuring Markham was kept in the loop on every detail.

“Procedure Omega running well,” Kingsley said with little emotion. He found Markham. “We are back. Give me what you’ve got.”

Markham looked stunned at the sight of Celes. “Sir, what on earth is she-“

“She has been granted authorization by me,” Edgar interjected. “Reports. Now.”

Markham didn’t fight anymore. He handed each a copy of the same report. They immediately began to read. Celes waited for the results. She needed to know just how bad this had gotten.

Edgar reacted as expected, dropping his head and putting the report on the table in front of Celes. “Ye gods. What the hell happened?”

Kingsley read to the bottom, now forlorn. “Wow. Lockdown.”

_Lockdown. Locke is trapped._ Celes held her composure. She had wanted to come, and Edgar had promised that the information could be anything. For the first time, though, the situation was real. Locke was running out of time and options. He may never leave that city again. She may never see him again.

She swallowed her tension. She had to remain stoic. It was the best way to help him.

“Ma’am, drink this. It will help.” A medic handed her a creamy solution. She swallowed it fast. He then turned to Edgar, who had a scowl on his face. “Light sedative. Designed to take the edge off pain only. She will be fine.”

Edgar looked away from the medic and continued pressing Markham. “When was the last transmission?”

“Just about five minutes ago. That was the tracker report.”

“Did he know where the tracker got him?”

“No sir.”

Celes swallowed again. _They can track him. If he cannot remove the tracker, they will find him._ She remained firm. The sedative had already begun helping. She turned to the medic. “Thank you,” she said, somehow without moving a muscle.

Kingsley now spoke, “Markham, I want another communication with him, check how he is doing, what his thought process is. We need to see what he is seeing. We can’t let him be alone out there for too long at a time.” Kingsley then ordered attention in the room. Everyone, including Edgar and Celes, watched him.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is ground zero. This is our worst case scenario. Keep your heads clear and focus on the procedures we have. They have kept every agent thus far out of harm’s way. We have yet to lose an agent to the enemy, and we haven’t yet. Keep using the time smartly. Our goal now is to protect him and help him find home.” Kingsley choked up. “This is why we train how we do. Your work today will save Shadow 15.”

The room was quiet for a moment, and then enthusiasm built. Suddenly, the room was a bit more alive. To Celes, it felt like a fire had been lit under everyone’s ass. She walked up to Kingsley. “Thank you for that.”

“I wish I could do more than this right now,” he replied. “But we will take every inch we can in this struggle.”

They turned. Markham had his headset on. “Shadow 15, Mission Control. Let us know of your situation.”

Silence for almost thirty seconds. The tension built higher and higher.

“Shadow 15, Mission Control. What’s going on?”

More silence. This time, another thirty seconds passed.

“Shadow 15?”

Celes knew she wouldn’t survive another request. Then she saw Markham’s eyes light up with relief. “Good show, Shadow 15. Stay safe down there. We will be giving you reports on their tracker capabilities in less than three. Keep your head up, we’re going to get you back. Trust us.” Markham tapped his headset and removed it.

Edgar asked first. “What’s going on?”

“He thinks he’s under the old processing center in central Olde Town. He cannot find the tracker yet. So far he has been able to deduce that it doesn’t light up when activated.”

“How is he sure?”

“Your Majesty, the reason for the delay was that he was finishing putting his clothes on. Searched them head to toe. He plans on performing an exposed skin search shortly.”

 

_Well, THAT had to be a first._

Locke was now dressed again. There had been no luck whatsoever in his tracker search on his clothes or his shoulder bag. Now, there was a foul stench coming from most of his body. He had been as careful as he could to keep his pants away from the grime along the sewer wall, but had failed. His search had been with military precision and speed, yet had produced no results. Now, his attention turned to the skin on his body.

He began with his left arm, slowly covering every square inch of skin between his shoulder and fingers. Two minutes passed. Nothing. Then, he switched arms. Eventually, his eyebrow twitched. He brought the back of his right palm close to his face, attempting to study it in the darkness. He brought his left hand even slower across it, trying to determine if his mind had simply willed him to find it. Then he felt the solid tip of what felt like a splinter. He smiled.

He had finally found it. It was the tracker, needle version.

He quickly assessed what he knew about it. They had been developed by the Kazen to track mainly local criminals in their cities. The idea was exactly as it had been in Locke’s case: they would not feel the embedding when shot. Locke also knew that it had serious disadvantages to the Kazen now: they had sacrificed accuracy of position as well as altitude of position to create the small design, meaning his trek into the sewers would frustrate them for as long as he wished to stay down there.

Still, it was time to report his success. “Mission Control, Shadow 15. Needle tracker found, back of right hand.”

A quick response followed. “Shadow 15, fantastic news! Don’t tough this out. Medical wants you to apply proper aid to the wound when you are complete. Infection risk is high.”

“Understood. Shadow 15…”

He froze. He began to hear quiet footsteps from somewhere close. They were not above him.

His ETCH beeped again. “Shadow 15, didn’t hear the finish.” Quiet steps started to echo louder on the sewer floors. “Shadow 15?”

“Not right now. Activity. Going silent.” He tapped his ETCH to shut it off. He needed to maintain perfect focus now.

 

“Well, what happened?” Kingsley and Edgar asked together?

“He hears activity. Sounds like the Kazen is now hunting the sewers.”

Kingsley grumbled. “They will go slower than normal. They don’t really know their own sewer system yet, and they only have a good idea on where his position lies.”

Celes’ color had returned, and she was now showing elevated interest in every report made. Edgar saw her look up, more hopeful as she understood what Kingsley was saying. She suddenly chirped, “Locke has the advantage on first engagement.”


	18. Engagement

Inside a Kazen warehouse, roughly two hundred random members of Military Division stood in formation. In front of them stood a brash young man, his uniform demonstrating his leadership position. His nametag read JARVIS, THOMAS. He was Commander of the Kazen’s Second New Narshe Task Force and answered directly to Lieutenant General Alicia Curley, someone he respected in terms of battlefield tactics and had wished to emulate. He did, however, side and act much more with General Kelbesque in terms of dealing with prisoners of war and common criminals. Today, he was frustrated that the order had been to capture the spy alive.

“Task force, attention! As you may not be aware, roughly twenty or so minutes ago, Investigators identified and tagged a spy here in our city. He has currently fled to Olde Town. We will be utilizing normal sweeping techniques as we make our way through its streets. Investigation has currently descended into the tunnels to try and apprehend him. We will also provide support from the surface. The order is to capture alive.”

He heard grumbles and boos. He had trained his men in his image. Still, his respect for Curley won the day.

“Regardless of personal opinion on the matter, we will follow the General’s request without fail! Task Force, fall out!”

At a brisk pace, the Task Force began its trek from the warehouse to Olde Town. Jarvis estimated it would take roughly ten to fifteen minutes to get everyone involved in the sweep. He tapped his headset. “General Curley, Commander Jarvis. Task Force is tasked and en route.”

“Once again, your efforts in speed and efficiency are noted. Thank you. Alert me if the situation changes.”

He tapped his headset, and followed in the direction of Olde Town.

 

Locke’s mind had used the sounds to give him a crude idea of where the other two men were. He had already isolated two distinct footprints, and judging from their origin, the men were on his level. He was in a dead end portion of the sewer tunnel. He tried to strafe and get a view on what was in the connecting sewer tunnel.

Then he saw them, his eye trained to make out their shadows even in the darkness. They were moving very slowly, using low-beam flashlights to scout out the ground in front of them. They couldn’t be trained agents like him, for they had no reservations about giving away their positions. That ruled out Military Division. Locke eased slightly. Investigation Division would be easier to deal with.

He heard their sincere voices. “He’s gotta be nearby. Tracker shows it.” “Yeah, but where and at what height?” “Shh, hold your tongue. You check this path quickly, I’m checking the small alcove over here.” Then, the voices went silent again.

Locke knew this would be his best moment. They had separated. He reached into his jacket pocket for a pouch. After finding it, he pulled it out and opened it up. He removed a damp cloth from it, then returned the pouch to his pocket. Not a sound was made. He placed his back against the sewer wall closest to where the first Investigator was coming, and just far enough into his tunnel that he wouldn’t be detected until it was too late.

Then, he saw the flashlight beam, and a silhouette emerged to his right. He exhaled.

_Engage._

Locke was immediately on him, his damp cloth over the mouth of the surprised Investigator. The concoction would work quickly and incapacitate him for roughly twenty minutes. Locke’s movements were swift and like clockwork. He heard his assailant struggle silently, and then helped him to the ground. He was motionless. In roughly ten seconds, the first Investigator was no longer a threat.

Locke immediately drew another cloth. He had no time to dawdle. Now it was time to go on the offensive. The second man would undoubtedly call for backup as soon the first did not respond to him. In another five seconds, he stood still at an intersection, just out of view of the second man. He was now within five feet. Locke exhaled.

“Rogers, you find anything?”

_Engage._

The second man was easier than the first. He barely had any reflexes about him.

Now only Locke remained. It was time to assess further. Grabbing an Investigator jacket seemed like a smart idea. He could hopefully use the confusion in their inability to pinpoint his location to buy some time as he searched for a tunnel at the edge of the city.

He removed the jacket from his victim and immediately tried it on.

_Little tight, but the price was right. Time to move on._

The tracker needed to come out, but now he had some time to move, which was just as crucial. He had to get to safety, tracking be damned.

He tapped his ETCH. “Shadow 15 here. Two Investigators neutralized. Currently wearing one of their jackets. Continuing to the edge of Olde Town.”

“Shadow 15, Mission Control. Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“Alright. Keep moving. Let us know when the tracker is out. Intelligence says your best bet is now to find one of the old drainage chutes under the buildings between Third and Fifth Street.”

Locke knew them well. He had already figured that would be his best bet. “Acknowledged. Will continue moving. Only estimating, but probably another fifteen through the tunnels and above ground. Shadow 15, out.” He continued on in the direction that the Investigators had come from. There was a good chance that more would be on the way, but there was no choice now. He had little margin of error, and he couldn’t second guess his decision to move over removing the tracker.

 

Locke took a moment to adjust to the sun. He had moved faster than expected. He had now been on the run for a little over thirty-five minutes. _No choice now._ He stepped out, his Investigator jacket his only defense.

He looked at the streets, and smiled. He was maybe two blocks from where he had needed to be. Even better, no one seemed to be around. He ran on the side of the street shielded from the sun. Just around the corner would be the construction site he had seen as he had entered the city. Freedom was indeed close.

Around the corner he went. Then he stopped dead in his tracks, cursing.

_Really? A wall overnight?_

Locke had heard that the Kazen prided themselves on speed and efficiency. If he hadn’t been so defeated by the sight of a fifteen foot high, smooth metal wall stopping his escape into the wilderness, he would’ve admittedly been impressed. This changed everything. “Mission Control, Shadow 15. They built a wall in my escape zone. Fifteen feet high.”

“Shadow 15, we acknowledge. And the drainage ditches?”

“Gonna have to check the buildings, one at a time. Going silent again.” Click. Locke was already scrambling to the side of the first building. He hoped the hole under the foundation still existed. It did. He jumped through, feet first.

Somehow, he had missed the sounds of the Task Force nearby. They had also made excellent time.


	19. Ultimatum

“General, this is a surprise,” Jarvis said as he saluted.

“Wouldn’t miss this,” Kelbesque chuckled.

“Last tracker position puts him somewhere along the new wall. Probably underneath a building still in the sewers.”

“Any positive identifications?”

“Negative. Scouts saw an Investigator in the area, but not the spy. He’s probably still underground.”

Kelbesque turned, confused. “Are you certain?”

“Yes, sir.”

That made no sense. Investigators knew not to engage during sweeps. They risked friendly fire from the infantry. Kelbesque quickly tapped his helmet. “Field Investigators, comms check.” He should hear six. He only heard four. Kelbesque now had a very angry look on his face. “Well played, spy.” He turned to Jarvis. “Alert Lord Alma. High chance of Investigator casualty or fatality. Spy has procured himself one of our jackets. He currently has made his way to the edge of the city.”

Jarvis then heard his headset chirp. “Acknowledged.” He turned to Kelbesque. “Rescue team found the other two unconscious in the tunnels. A jacket was missing.”

“No matter, maintain the same report.”

“General, with all due respect, there is no chance of fatalities right now.”

“I get to make that call. Send message.”

“Aye aye,” Jarvis replied, now somewhat disgusted. He already knew Kelbesque was attempting to build a case against the spy that could allow him the freedom to exercise his sadistic side. That felt unfair, even to a spy. His attention now turned to the tracker. The dot had stopped moving. He surveyed the scene. It was almost right in front of them. He quickly checked the screen and the map next to him. “General, he has stopped moving.”

“Okay, anything else of importance?”

“Yes, general. Looks like he’s under St. Mary’s.”

Kelbesque rubbed his chin. “St. Mary’s Orphanage,” he said aloud. There was no doubt a drainage tunnel there. He had to think fast if he was to bring home his prize intact.

Then, his eyes through the binoculars focused, and he raised a fist triumphantly in the air. “Bingo! You’ve finally let your guard down!” Through a small window into the basement of the building, he saw a man removing an Investigator jacket and then shifting out of sight.

It was Locke, who had mistakenly assumed that no one was on the street above him.

“Commander, surround the building.”

“Aye aye. Task Force, advance to within twenty feet of St. Mary’s. Stand by for further orders.”

Kelbesque smiled. “This will be fairly simple, now.”

“You sure, sir? He hasn’t exactly been willing to give himself up thus far.”

“If I know my instincts well enough, he will this time.” Kelbesque chuckled.

Jarvis did not like the sound of that.

 

Locke surveyed the building floor. This was the third building he had found in the series, and thus far the drainage ditches had been blocked off. Hopefully, this one would be different. He pulled on the hatch will all of his might.

It opened. He heard the wind of the land outside. Freedom was in his reach.

Then he heard a megaphone. “Spy, this is Commander Jarvis! We know you are in the basement of St. Mary’s Orphanage. Make your way out to the front door and offer your unconditional surrender!”

_Shit, they’re here?_

It was now time to remove the tracker. He pulled out his dagger, took a breath, and dug the dagger into the back of his hand. Soon, a small chunk of skin, tracker included, was now attached to the dagger blade. He immediately applied sterile bandages to his hand. Quick precision.

It was now out. They could no longer track him. Now it was time to bite his other hand until the pain subsided. He tapped his ETCH. “Mission Control, Shadow 15. Tracker is out.”

“Yes! Amazing work! Are you safe?”

“Looks like it. I should be in a tunnel soon.”

 

“What do you mean, we lost the tracker _?”_

Jarvis was now irritated. Kelbesque, however, fixed his binoculars on the small window, hoping to get his chance.

There he was again, shuffling around, holding his hands in an awkward position. He had no clue that it was due to the ETCH. He merely assumed that this was the product of removing the tracker. There was no time now. He was still within the city walls. He had to act on his instincts. He grabbed the megaphone from Jarvis.

“Spy, this is General Kelbesque. As you are no doubt aware, a Task Force has locked on to your position.” He saw the spy stop, and knew he had the spy’s attention. “Surrender now. Failure to do so in ten minutes will force us to bring the Orphanage and its children above you down on top of you. Time starts now!”

Jarvis stared at him in shock. “General! You’re insane! Lord Alma will have both of our heads for this!”

Kelbesque saw the spy suddenly freeze. He knew it was only a matter of time now. He turned to Jarvis. “There will be no casualties and we will have a spy in less than ten minutes. I can handle a demerit for scaring the public.”

“But for killing innocent children?”

“Commander, the first rule of war is to know your enemy.”

“General, I don’t get it.”

“Commander, I know this man’s soul well. So far, he has saved two civilians he most likely has never met, and has used methods designed not to hurt our forces in his escape. He won’t risk those children. Escape isn’t as important to him as preserving life.”

Jarvis muttered under his breath. _You’d better be right_.

 

Locke had indeed frozen. His training was now scrambled in his brain. They still knew he was under the building somehow. And they had just threatened to kill innocent children to get him to come out. The rumors of Kelbesque were apparently true. Locke cursed his name.

He closed his eyes. He thought of his childhood, his first love Rachel, the day he met Celes, the journey before the world’s end, how happy he had felt when they had reunited one year later, and all of the good and bad times since then. He remembered his meeting with Edgar in the compound. He finished his stroll down memory lane by imagining Celes’ face. Tears came to his eyes.

_I’m sorry Celes. I failed you._

He then focused his mind. There was a lot to do, and little time to do it.

_I won’t risk those kids._

He pulled out the DATE, and energized it. He recalled the sinister details he had read earlier that morning. Figaro needed those. He began to type furiously. Five stones. Exact locations. Untold power. An esper waiting. World domination now possible.

He tuned out the cries and screams of the children and their caretakers being ordered back into the Orphanage by the devil incarnate Kelbesque. _That evil man_.

“Nine minutes remaining!” he heard. Then, he heard “Eight minutes remaining!”

His report was now done. A quick scan to ensure the details were correct. Then, he hit SEND. Ten seconds later, he received his acknowledgement that the data had made it. He smiled, and then sighed. He collected himself in the next few seconds. He exhaled.

He tapped his ETCH. It was time to inform them of his decision.

 

“Data secured!”

“Excellent! The commotion must have calmed down!” Markham shouted, happily.

The mood in Mission Control lifted slightly. Edgar smiled for the first time in a while, though he was waiting for the all clear from Locke. Kingsley smiled as well, but reminded his staff to remain vigilant until the full threat had lifted.

Only Celes stood there, emotionless. She had been a general before. Sending the data did not mean a damn in regards to his safety. She held her guard, expecting anything.

Only she noticed his Phone Talker put his hands to his headset, eyes now terrified. “Say that again, Shadow 15?”

“Mission Control, I am implementing Procedure Whiskey. Awaiting acknowledgement.”

“Wait one,” the Phone Talker struggled to say. He turned to Markham. “Sir, Shadow 15 requests acknowledgement of implementing Procedure Whiskey.”

An audible hush fell over the room. Gasps echoed. Edgar’s fist began to clench. Celes’ face suddenly welled up red with emotion. She had no clue what the details behind it were, but she knew exactly what the implication was.

Locke was surrendering. That was why he had sent the data report without warning.

Edgar suddenly spoke up. “Does that channel have speaker?”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Turn it on, now,” he ordered, giving Celes a nod.

“Yes, your Majesty.” The Phone Talker flipped the switch. The room now heard his heavy breathing.

Edgar then turned to Markham. “Give me that headset.” Markham nodded and passed it over to Edgar. He put it on. “Locke, this is Edgar.”

Locke heard his friend’s voice and begin to audibly sigh. The room heard it in its entirety. “Hey, Edgar.”

Celes suddenly looked up. It had been roughly six months since she had heard his voice. It was full of pain. But she heard it. He was tangible again.

“Locke, if I know anything, I know you can escape this. You’ve got to try.”

“Edgar, the tunnel is right in front of me.”

“Then get out! That’s an order!”

“Can’t do it.”

“Did you hear me?”

“Edgar, they’re going to blow up the Orphanage above me if I don’t come out in… six minutes.” The room heard the echo of the megaphone message as well.

Edgar stood there, dazed. _Damn the Kazen_. “Locke, listen to me. They wouldn’t risk children over this. They’re playing you.”

“Doesn’t matter if you’re right. I can’t risk it.”

“Locke,” Edgar now sounded concerned and emotional.

“Edgar, I’m sorry. I’ve already failed a lot of people. Worst of all, I failed the greatest thing that had ever happened to me six months ago.” Celes now felt the emotional edge in Locke’s words. “I won’t be right anymore if I let the deaths of children hang over me too. I’m sorry.”

Edgar closed his eyes, fighting the tears. “Locke, please.”

“Edgar, I only ask one favor of you.”

“Locke, anything for you. Just tell me what we can do for you.”

Locke sighed through the speaker, clearly beginning to cry. “Make something up. Don’t tell Celes that I ended up involved in this. Tell her I died doing something treasure related. I destroyed her once, and I can’t have her experience that again through this. Please, Edgar.”

Edgar’s eyes were open. He was actively crying. He turned to Celes. Locke did not have any clue that she had heard everything. Now Edgar was focused on her reaction.

She hadn’t made a move. The dam that was her face was getting ready to crack, however, releasing a flood of tears, screams, cries, and hurt.

“Locke, please…”

“I’ve said my peace. Implementing Procedure Whiskey.” The room heard the echo of five minutes remaining in the background.

Locke removed his ETCH and DATE and placed them on top of his jacket and gear. He started typing a sequence into each. Suddenly, red lights glowed on each. Success. He watched them begin to melt quickly, and then he watched the heat transfer to the rest of his gear. Fifteen seconds later, he threw some dirt on the smoldering ashes that were nearly invisible now.

He closed his eyes.

_Forgive me, Celes_.

He turned to the staircase that led up to the first floor. The steps were heavy. Once he was up there, he saw a Caretaker looking at him scared. “Just tell me the way to the door, Sister.” She continued to stare in fright and shock.

Locke sighed. “Relax, Sister. I’m not risking it. I won’t gamble your children or you on if he’s bluffing. The direction to the door, please.”

She slowly pointed to his right. “That one, right there.”

Locke opened the door with his hands up, defeated. He stepped out slowly to survey the scene. Almost two hundred infantry, spearman, horsemen, and artillerymen were watching his every movement, awaiting the order to either fire or charge. He stepped out, turned around, and got to his knees. He then placed his stomach on the steps, arms out in front of him, and waited.

“Spy, you’ve done the right thing. By orders of Lord Alma, I place you under arrest for espionage, fleeing arrest, impersonating the Order of the Kazen, and endangering the lives of civilians!” General Kelbesque shouted.

Locke was quickly surrounded by Security forces. He did not resist and obeyed every command given him. He was quickly handcuffed on both hands and feet. He was then tied up and lifted into a carriage with bars on the windows.

He was very alert. As they began moving, he heard the blasts of the city speakers announcing the securing of the lockdown. He saw the faces of the children in the Orphanage and smiled. He closed his eyes, trying not to think about what would happen to him that day.


	20. Edgar's Path

Celes’ hysteria began the moment the status lights of Locke’s ETCH and DATE had gone dark on the panel in front of his phone talker. That was the exact moment that it hit her. Locke had come back into her life for a fleeting moment, but now he was gone forever.

It took all three medics to control her and administer the proper sedatives. Celes struggled, screaming incoherently and attempting to thrash her arms wildly before the sedatives took control, leaving her slightly paralyzed and numbed in her mind and brain. She was able to make out Kingsley telling her the effects would last ten minutes, and that if she needed anything to ask the medics, as they were now authorized any form of treatment that would not prove lethal. It was a small condolence, but it was something nonetheless.

Edgar finally had enough. He pulled Kingsley out of Mission Control. “Debrief in five minutes. Bring everything.”

Kingsley nodded, and returned into Mission Control, announcing the meeting and ordering all reports ready ASAP. Edgar’s attention now turned to Celes being controlled by the three medics. Her body looked lifeless, partially from the drugs and mostly because he knew her heart had finally developed a large hole inside it. Edgar closed his eyes for a moment. He had to report this to Terra. Soon, all of their friends would know that he had allowed Locke to risk his life in such a way. The circumstances were too much to handle. _This isn’t fair to them._

Edgar also pondered his position in the kingdom. _I’m king. I’ve had to make horrible decisions most of my adult life out of necessity for the kingdom. This was no different._ He then squinted. _Why does it feel like this is different?_

Then, he opened his eyes. He knew why. _He is my friend first and foremost._ He whispered into his assistant’s ear some orders, which made him smile as he scampered off to carry out his duties.

He walked to the meeting room. He didn’t know what had made him decide on the path he would choose. Perhaps it was emotions. Perhaps it was guilt over what had happened to Celes. Perhaps he had finally grown tired of the games in the shadows. Perhaps he missed his friend.

Whatever the cost, he was going to get Locke back.

 

Edgar entered the meeting room. Everyone else was already situated, bowing. “Formalities are off the table.” Everyone sat down. Edgar looked around. “Report what happened to Locke.”

“Reports are his disguise malfunctioned in a small earthquake, and he was identified as a spy, so he ran.”

“Anything else?”

“City lockdown prevented him from being able to travel above ground. He spent most of his time in sewer tunnels. Disabled two Investigators.”

“I see.   I know most of the other details from there. Anything else?”

“Only the data he sent us.”

“So what does it report?” The technician looked uncomfortable. Edgar shouted, “We’ve no time for this! What does the data show?”

He gulped. “The Kazen appear to be hunting for stones across the world. There are allegedly five. When combined,” he gulped again, “an esper named Diabolos will be summoned.”

A hush entered the room. Most, including Edgar, were hearing this for the first time. “Did he get potential coordinates for the stones?”

“Yes.”

“Any in our lands?”

“Yes. One in the mountains just north of the castle. Another resides in the Hornata Mountains.”

_That explains that situation_. “Anything else?” Silence in the room.

It was time for Edgar to continue to speak. “Shadow Ops, I know this has been a most taxing day. I want full confirmation from everyone in the organization that they are safe. I expect this in an hour’s time. In the meantime, all missions except those currently engaged are hereby on hold. Get them out and back here safely. We are going to evaluate our techniques and make whatever changes are necessary to ensure no one else gets captured going forward. These are your orders. Dismissed.”

The room quickly emptied. Only Kingsley and Edgar remained. “Your Majesty,” he said sullenly. “I will tender my resignation this afternoon.”

“And I will refuse it.”

Kingsley looked stunned. “Your Majesty?”

“No formalities! Look, I know you feel responsible for this. You have always prided yourself on their safety. But I authorized the mission. The blame lies on my shoulders. Right now, more than ever, Shadow Ops needs your expertise to fix the holes we found today. Mistakes were made. I’m not letting you take the easy way out from them. That already ruined Locke and Celes. It’s time for the two of us to step up and grow from this.”

Kingsley nodded, now smiling. “Thank you, Edgar. I needed that.”

Edgar left the room. He found Celes alert but still shaking and hurting. “Edgar.”

“Celes, how are you doing?”

“My world just blew up in my eyes,” she replied without moving a facial muscle.

“Celes, let’s return to your home.”

 

The two arrived back at the house. Sabin and Terra immediately surrounded Celes to hold her while she continued to cry and recount what had happened. Terra held her emotions in check, but Sabin told her to talk to Edgar while he made sure Celes got whatever she needed.

Terra found him on the deck in the backyard, staring out to the ocean. She sat behind him, put her arms around her husband, and kissed the back of his neck. “Edgar, I’m so sorry…” She couldn’t hold it together anymore. She began to cry.

Edgar turned around and placed his arms around his wife, comforting her. “Terra, I’m so sorry. I know how much he meant to you, to Celes. I shouldn’t have allowed it.”

“Edgar, it would be someone else making you upset this morning. The pain would still be here.”

“No, I mean I shouldn’t have allowed the mission at all.”

Terra looked into his eyes. She saw his gentle side and a determined look in his eye. “Edgar, I know the current world state gnaws at your soul. Whatever you have to do, just know I will support you. The people of Figaro will support you.”

Suddenly, she realized there were gears spinning in his head. She seemed both concerned and hopeful at the same time. “Edgar?”

“Ah, right on time!” His assistant showed up. “What’s the news?”

“Your majesty, she has agreed to the meeting tomorrow morning!” he exclaimed.

Terra couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Edgar, you didn’t.”

He gazed into her beautiful brown eyes. “Terra, I’m getting him back.”

“Edgar, the kingdom, the political fallout-“

“She’s a big girl who spies on others, us included. She’ll get over the fact that we have decided to match her in that regard.”

“Edgar, we’re going to have to sacrifice a lot.”

“Yes we are. And I’ll bear the brunt of that.”

Suddenly, Terra had jumped up into his arms. Her lips refused to leave his for at least thirty seconds. Then she curled up into his chest. “Thank you, Edgar.”

Edgar held Terra in his arms for another few moments. Then, he looked back into her face. “Shall we tell Celes together?”

“Absolutely.”

 

Celes still didn’t believe what she had heard. The training of her past was clearly at odds with his declaration that he would do whatever it took to get Locke back from Lord Alma the next morning. He would be setting a dangerous political precedent with the Kazen. They would now hold diplomatic leverage continuing forth. Even stranger, she had already resigned herself to a world where she believed he would never return. Now, Edgar was suggesting that he could bring him back and the consequences of that didn’t matter. None of this made sense for a battle hardened general.

But damn if it didn’t make her smile for the first time since Kingsley showed up earlier that morning.

“Celes, if you wish to join me, I understand. I also understand if you’re not emotionally ready for this,” Edgar said.

She already knew what her answer was. She looked at him in the eyes, determined. “That means I’ll see him all the sooner. I’m in.” Then she closed her eyes.

_Gods, thank you for keeping him alive. Just keep him going until I’m there, back in his arms. Where we both belong._

She then recalled what he had asked Edgar to promise. She kept her eyes closed.

_Gods, give him the strength and will to believe that I care not what he has done, that I will forgive him with all of my heart._

The clock was now nearing ten. She held his image in her arms, giving it a hug.


	21. Interrogations

Locke was chained to a wall in his cell by ten in the morning. Almost immediately afterward, someone entered his cell with orderlies. Her nametag read BRUN, AMY. Locke had no clue who she was, but he already knew his role in the game they were to play.

“Good morning sir, I am Amy Brun. I am the Federal Magistrate tasked with arguing your case in front of our Lord Alma this afternoon.”

Locke remained stoic and distant. His eyes remained fixed in front of him. He noticed her shift to that line of sight without letting her know he was following her every move.

Brun sighed. She had seen many variations of this act. “Name?” Silence. “Age?” Silence. Brun shrugged. “So, will you state that you are in fact a spy for a foreign entity?” Silence. “State the purpose of your mission.” More silence. Brun didn’t get frustrated. “Okay, sir, those are the only required questions. Would you like to proffer anything that I can use to hopefully have Lord Alma show you mercy in any form?” Silence.

Brun then pulled out a new paper. Locke couldn’t read it. It was most likely the report on him from the day’s events. “Hmm, disabled an Investigator and stole his coat. Espionage.” She then chuckled. “Risking innocent children? Gods, the General will do anything to convict a spy. So much ammo already.” She closed the report. “Pretty much open and shut for me. You only make my job easy.” Still silence.

Then she moved right into his line of vision and stared intently into Locke’s eyes until he was forced to acknowledge her. “That’s more like it. Look, don’t get me wrong, all the signs of Utok espionage are there.”

Locke warmed inside. They thought he was from Utok.

“But the biggest one is missing,” she continued. "You never seemed intent on killing any of our forces today. That’s a first. And it makes me curious on who actually trained you. Perhaps Figaro?”

Brun’s eye was quite keen. She saw Locke’s subtle changes, confirming her suspicions. “It’s okay, my conjecture doesn’t count in a court of law. Spy, so long as you remain quiet, Lord Alma will only be able to rely on conjecture that Figaro has betrayed her. How she takes that, no one knows. I will see you later at your trial.” And she was quickly gone.

Locke remained stoic. He didn’t doubt Brun, but he also reasoned that Lord Alma had already accepted Figaro espionage as a reality. The only difference was that she might be able to confirm it.

 

Right outside, Brun looked at a Civil Magistrate whose nametag read SKY, ALEXA. “I suppose you are next. He’s your typical hardass. Don’t expect him to proffer anything.”

Sky looked nervous. She had never dealt with the federal side before. Spies seemed dangerous to her. “Are you sure? Why am I even being ordered to do this?”

“He made contact with civilians. Vicelord Kinnick is within his right for a Civil Hearing to be invoked at his trial, in case the spy broke civil law as well.”

“Should, should I make him stew a little?”

“Time is money. Relax, he can’t hurt you. He can only ignore you.”

“Brun? Anything new I should know about him?”

“Well, I do suspect he’s Figaro.”

“What? That seems so farfetched. Yet, it still makes the most sense. Well, here goes nothing.”

 

Locke saw the same orderlies enter with someone new. She was a lot easier on the eyes than Brun. Her frame was a lot more slender, and she also had blonde hair. That brought back some good memories for Locke, though his face didn’t show it. He studied his new adversary.

_She’s incredibly nervous. Probably the first time she’s had to deal with something like this. A rookie. This should be painful to listen to but easy to get through._

Sky fumbled her notebook as she took a seat in front of him. When she saw him avert his eyes to the left, she tried to shift her chair to better see them. When he shifted back the other way, she sighed. One orderly snickered, making her face bleed red. Finally, she resigned herself to the situation at hand. “Good morning, sir, my name is Alexa Sky. I am the Civil Magistrate assigned to argue this case in front of Lord Alma this afternoon. How are you doing?”

Silence. Sky began to nervously twitch her pen. “Name and age?” Silence. “Look, I apologize. I know this feels like a waste of time, but we really are curious to find out more about you. Please look at me?”

Finally, she seemed like she had found the moon. Locke was now staring at her. “Thank you! I’m glad you are willing to help.” Then she sank into her chair, dejected. Locke was now smiling and shaking his head, taunting her, and she knew it. The other orderly snickered this time.

“Okay, I get it, you hate me. Which is weird. You seem like a nice guy from the reports.” Locke realized she had thrown away her script and was now speaking from her heart, which confused him. He started to stare at her, thoughtfully.

_Where is this going?_

“Look, I guess I have just a few more questions. One, did you climb up into a broken building and bring a woman and child to safety?”

It made sense now. Now his head had filled with concerns for the two.   He closed his eyes. “Yes, I did.”

He opened his eyes. Sky looked stunned and excited. “You can talk!” Then she composed herself. “Did you have a prior relationship with them?”

“No.”

“Do you mind if I ask what possessed you to risk your life for them, then?”

Locke remained silent on this one. _Wasn’t the desire not to let others suffer reason enough anymore?_

Sky closed her notebook. She had confirmed he was the savior. That was all. She looked back to Locke with a genuine smile. “Thank you for speaking to me! Is there anything I can answer for you that I’d be allowed to?”

There was only one question on his mind. “Will they survive?”

Sky’s smile grew. “They’re currently at a hospital being treated for shock. But they’ll recover from that. Anything else?”

“The Investigators?”

“Also being treated. They were a lot angrier than the civilians, though. Anything else?”

She saw him flash a weak smile and felt warm inside. “No, that’ll do.”

She couldn’t help herself. “Sir, thank you for doing that for them.” And with that, she and the orderlies left.

Locke reflected on the investigations. He was certainly destined to be executed soon. At least the only funeral that day was his. And that was something small he could take with him to the other side. _At least I’ll have something now to show for myself_.

 

Back outside, Sky was practically jumping for joy. Brun noticed the mood change. “Sky, what happened in there?”

“Amy, he spoke to me!”

“What?”

“Sure, he started off like a cocky son of a bitch, but as soon as I asked him about Marie and Owen, he began to check if they and the Investigators were okay!”

Brun still couldn’t believe it. “Ye gods, who is this guy?”

“I haven’t the foggiest. All I know, though, is that if the spy charges weren’t there, he’d probably be getting recognized for his honor and bravery today. He saved them because it was the right thing to do! Gods, why does he have to be a spy? I’d totally ask him to dinner!”

“Alexa, you can’t be serious.”

“Amy, he was quite easy on the eyes!”

“Alexa, we really need to find you a man soon. Preferably not one behind bars.”

 

Jarvis grumbled. Kelbesque had left him with a not-too-flattering report to write. A lot of details had to emerge. The authorization was sound and proper. The troops had acted beyond reproach and within the spirit of the law. The only wrinkle was Kelbesque, who had threatened the lives of forty-two children and six Sisters of St. Mary’s. He understood why Kelbesque was confident, but he also hated having to place his name on a report where such a veiled threat had been made. It still didn’t sit right with him. “General, this report troubles me.”

Curley had already read it and was smiling. “Commander, please relax.”

“Why? I don’t care about whatever he took. The fact is the bottom feeder surrendered with such a coercion aimed at him. I’m not sure it was worth it.”

“Your report definitely reflects that. Please trust in Lord Alma. I’m sure she will be fair with her discipline. Are you ready to speak to the prisoner?”

“Yes, ma’am. May I ask why you are here?”

“Of course. I’d like to meet the enigma as well.”

 

It had probably been close to an hour now. Probably around eleven. Locke had surveyed his cell. A metal box probably represented a bed. The one with the hole and pipe was probably his new bathroom. No clock and no chairs allowed, he had learned. He’d sleep standing up, chained to the wall, if he wasn’t dead by sundown. The sentry outside his room had been quite frank between the insults and vulgarities.

Now, two more people walked into his cell. Their nametags read CURLEY, ALICIA and JARVIS, THOMAS. Their uniforms shined Military Division. _Is it torture time already?_

“I am Lieutenant General Curley and this is Commander Jarvis,” Curley started.

Locke’s animosity began to return.

“Sir, we have gaps in our report that we’d like you to fill. Cooperation in this investigation will be recognized by Lord Alma in a positive light,” she continued.

Jarvis grumbled. “This is a waste of time, General.” His gaze was now fixed on Locke, whose eyes had focused on him since he had walked in.

“Maintaining order is the priority. As you were.” She then looked at Locke’s seething eyes again. “Look, you clearly have had some excellent training. You kept us at bay for much longer than anyone thus far. Even almost made it out of the city. If you value your life, I sincerely and strongly encourage you to fill in the final details of our report.”

Perhaps it was his feeling of inevitable death, but Locke had decided to vent his anger at the two. After all, in front of him was a man who was part of a machine willing to stoop to the lowest depths just to catch him. “Alright, if it matters so much to you. Ask away.”

“Oh we will. Even if you’d like to throw some attitude in there for kicks.”

“Beats throwing defenseless kids in there for the same reason.”

That shot clearly stunned Curley, and Locke knew it. What shocked him was that Jarvis was just as pained as she was. He turned to him. “Hurts? Well, that was your military strategy in a nutshell, I suppose.”

“What would you know, spy sack of shit?” he angrily fired back.

“Oh I don’t know. Just that today, the people of New Narshe were better protected by a bottom feeder than their bottom feeding military!” Then he closed his eyes. Jarvis was rearing up to swing.

“Jarvis, stand down.” Curley had switched to a very authoritarian voice. “I was very impressed with your report. Don’t make me think it was all a lie.” She then looked back at Locke. “Sir, you clearly are a man of principles. Won’t stand by and let others get hurt. I respect that. It is a sign of order and discipline that I expect from my soldiers and security forces. What happened today with the Orphanage is a black eye on us. But rest assured, with men like Commander Jarvis here willing to speak up and acknowledge failures, we will weed out the problems. Now, back to the matter at hand.”

Locke had listened to the sermon. She was clearly just as mad that the standoff had come to it. He looked up. “So who gets to tell Kelbesque he was wrong?”

“Lord Alma, at a disciplinary hearing.”

“Sorry if I don’t think a trend like this will stop just because of me.”

“It certainly won’t if you do not proffer up the holes we need.”

He stared at them, his anger shining through. “Just ask.”

“Name and age?” Silence. “What was your mission? What did you take?” Curley watched Locke yawn.

“Guess that wraps that up. The report stands as is. Look, spy,” she said. Locke felt a warmer gaze on him now. “You truly do puzzle us. You are full of contradictions. You’ve clearly received exceptional training yet throw it to the wayside, and you seem to value all life that is not yours. You clearly didn’t hesitate to turn yourself in for a group of strangers. You never had an obligation to the citizens of our city. You maintained an obligation to humanity today, though. And unless you fill these gaps in for us that we request, it makes me sad to know the wonderful enigma may never be cracked and left cold and dead in a jail cell.” She moved toward the door. “You represent a potential paradigm shift in politics and warfare. Don’t forget that when you contemplate staying silent at your trial this afternoon.”

Locke smiled. He certainly was impressed in the speech and in her conscience. She, like pretty much everyone thus far, had been very sincere with him. Unfortunately, it was all for naught. He knew how the game was played. He was not betraying Figaro or those he was close to. He would die as he had chosen, a Shadow in a cell. Still, it couldn’t hurt to ask something that tugged at him. “Would General Kelbesque actually do something like that?”

Jarvis tried to hide the fact he couldn’t rule it out. Curley was much more direct. “I, like you, would never have been willing to gamble on Kelbesque like that.” They then walked out.

 

Outside, Jarvis was still simmering but also stunned at how Curley had conducted herself. “General, what was that?”

“Simple honesty. He wasn’t going to proffer anything, anyways.”

“Then why butter his pride up?”

“Because what I said was true, at least I think so.” She smiled at him. “You are willing to accept Military's faults today and atone for them, per your report. He was willing to do something similar. You both, in a moment where an easy solution of self preservation presented itself, chose the moral high ground despite its consequences.”

Jarvis nodded. She was right as always, even about the damn spy. “I hate this shit sometimes.”

“I always do. Being at war with morality is no picnic. The more you realize that, the sooner you will be ready to lead even higher. Almost lunchtime. Let’s eat and make our final preparations.”

 

“This is most unusual. Ask his representative why urgency is being emphasized.”

“Yes Lord Alma,” her page responded, and then disappeared.

Alma grumbled. “It must be lunch. Everyone always discovers their morning mistakes at this time.”

Kinnick grinned. “Not everything in the machine runs smooth.”

“Not without more effort.” Her eyes were down and there was no movement in her face. It was her normal look.

The two were in the Observatory, in a meeting with several select members of her government. The meeting had been completed early, which had pleased her. It did, however, allow her page to field a request from King Edgar requesting an urgent meeting. Kinnick spoke, “My Lord, you seemed almost troubled with the request. As it stands, relations are strong and they feel more like an ally than a threat. I am sure it is of a silly crisis in the kingdom.”

“It throws off routine. I do not like that, and you know that.”

“Aye, that I do. Still, flexibility to grant an audience is not weakness.”

“Agreed. I suppose you’d argue for another day with her.”

Kinnick laughed. “Celes is something else. She does make my week.”

“It is a dangerous relationship to forge.”

“Relax not, My Lord. Her heart still belongs to a former flame. I dare not tread there.” He then felt her stare. “And no, the Kazen matters not there. What matters is her. It is not right to pry and coerce a heart. It must be natural.”

“A lovesick Vicelord. Wonderful.” Alma then heard the door open. The page had returned.

“My Lord, he’s not sure why. All the king said was that it involved diplomacy and a deal he wished to make over an issue here in New Narshe from this morning.”

Lord Alma suddenly lifted her head. She immediately began processing what had just been told to her. She then had a large grin on her face. “Well, if he’d like to make a deal on something, I shant refuse him. Tell him to be here by 0700. I will cancel the normal Military meeting. After today, I’m sure they’d like a break. That is all.” And with that, Alma and Kinnick walked out of the Observatory.

As she walked down the hall, the smile hadn’t left. She couldn’t escape the coincidence in the timing of the request and the events from the morning. Even if she was wrong in her assumption, she could now try to leverage some concessions on Figaro. After all, it seemed she now had tangible proof that they had thrown their hat into the ring of espionage. The spy had suddenly become worth something to her alive.


	22. The Trial

Locke looked around the Judicial Hall. It was an awe-inspiring sight complete with murals and gold crown molding. Lord Alma’s portrait hung behind her seat at the head of the room. Many people had come flocking in to the room, mostly government officials. A small section was reserved for the general public. He had noticed the long line that had gathered to witness his trial.

He remained shackled, his chains connected to a movable board that acted as a substitute for his cell wall. He was positioned so all in the room, Order and civilian, saw at least one half of him. The Magistrates would be facing him based off the orientation of the tables. That left a special silver chair also facing him. That was reserved for General Kelbesque.

Locke had learned much of their judicial process back at Shadow Ops. In most cases, trials were taken very seriously by the Order of the Kazen. Lord Alma believed that any injustice risked destroying justice, and justice was required to remain sovereign. In the case of political prisoners, though, she had been forced to expedite the trial schedules, if not from the sheer volume that required her attention, but from citizen pressure. They were some of the harshest critics of spies in the Order. He knew his trial would be over by 1600. Execution would come soon after. That was how order and justice worked in the Order.

He looked at the clock. 1500. Suddenly, a large procession trickled into the room and took their seats. He recognized Brun and Sky in front of him. He also recognized Lord Alma. From his mission briefing, he guessed that the man next to him was Vicelord Kinnick. Finally, Supreme Magistrate Toth took his seat behind both Brun and Sky. The only seat still empty was Kelbesque’s.

Suddenly, Alma raised her hand to silence the crowd. “Today the Order of the Kazen brings a case before me. Please state who is in official capacity today.”

The room began its ritual in standing and recognizing themselves. Then Alma glared at him. “And you?”

Locke remained silent, unwilling to budge.

“This will be easy enough, I take it,” Alma muttered, her eyes back down to the papers in front of her. “We shall start with the Federal Magistrate’s charges and arguments. Magistrate Brun.”

She stood and begun her oration. “My Lord, people of the Order, today we stand here staring at a bottom feeder.” She grinned when Locke winced. “Today, he committed-“

Suddenly she stopped, visibly frustrated. General Kelbesque walked in, seemingly unconcerned with his tardiness. “I apologize, Magistrate.” He turned to Alma and touched his left shoulder as he handed her a piece of paper. “I apologize for the tardiness. Military report is here.”

“And there are blanks. I am saddened to find out you can’t make deadlines or complete reports.” Laughter erupted in the room. The people loved her unflinching monotone.

Kelbesque smiled and hammed his part for the people to applause. Then he took his seat and focused his stare at Locke. Locke sighed.

“As I was saying, before the interruption,” Brun said, “our suspect here has been charged with espionage, impersonating a government official, putting government officials in danger, and placing members of the general public in danger. Today we shall use evidence to determine if these charges stick to the bottom where he resides or wash away in the sewer drain.”

Alma didn’t look up. “To the charge of espionage?”

“Guilty, My Lord.”

“State evidence.”

“My Lord, the suspect donned several disguises to conceal identity, that of a janitor and that of a government official. When confronted, he turned and ran. He demonstrated force against two Investigators. His presence was first noted near our Information Archives.”

Toth then spoke. “Any evidence to what he took?”

“No, Supreme Magistrate. He has held his tongue.”

“I see. So no tangible proof of espionage?”

Brun grumbled. Utok spies usually had identification and records on them. This spy did not. “No, Supreme Magistrate. Just a healthy dose of circumstantial evidence.”

“Very fascinating,” Alma interjected. She looked at the suspect. Locke noticed she seemed to have more interest in him than he expected based off of his briefing. “Well, sir, would you be willing to explain why you’ve just run across my city in the shadows, able to incapacitate two of my Investigators with some form of advanced knockout compound, yet have absolutely nothing on your person?”

Locke remained stoic and proud.

“We dredged his entire route and other areas, did we not? We found nothing?”

“No, My Lord, not a scrap of evidence,” Brun stated.

“Seems very advanced espionage has found its way into my kingdom. Federal Magistrate, do you have any ideas on where he might receive such training?” Her eyes still pierced Locke. He had recalled his earlier conversation with Brun, and now felt very nervous.

“My Lord, it would only be conjecture based off observations of the suspect. It would be immaterial.”

“I acknowledge that and will give it proper weight. Go ahead.”

“Well, My Lord, I would guess Figaro.”

Gasps and screams went through the room. Locke remained motionless. His eyes, however, shifted to Kinnick. His face had become red and flustered, and Locke couldn’t figure out why.

Alma seemed convinced enough by his reaction that her hunch could be confirmed. “Interesting conclusion! Well, anything else on espionage?”

“No My Lord.”

“Very well. I take it the same evidence supports the charges against government officials?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Crosses three off the list quick enough. To endangering the public?”

“Yes My Lord! Today we were required to utilize city lockdown and commence a military sweep throughout a district. He generated a dust storm which could’ve risked injury to our population.”

“I do see we have a Civil Magistrate here today. Do you concur with this evidence?”

Locke watched Sky. She was nervous as she stood, much like she had been in the jail cell. “Um, I do and I do not, My Lord?”

“That sounds like an impossible logical conclusion.”

“I will explain, My Lord. I do not dispute the incidents spoken of by Magistrate Brun. I do, however, proffer evidence to suggest that the public was actually not in actual danger from the suspect.”

Alma then looked thoughtful. She wasn’t sure what to expect. “Continue.”

“My Lord, I spoke with the suspect before this trial. He has admitted to scaling the laboratory building to rescue Marie and Owen Hasty before it collapsed.”

More gasps and screams filled the room, only this time they were accompanied by small rounds of applause.  Alma held up her right hand. That was all it took to silence the crowd. She then stared at Locke, this time much more intently. “Do you support this story?” When Locke nodded, she barked, “You will vocalize your answers in this court!”

“Yes, I did do that.”

Alma suddenly shifted to Brun. “This seems not to fit with the mold of a man intent on committing espionage.”

“Well, My Lord, that has stumped us as well.”

“It matters not. Evidence of both can exist. Anything else, Magistrate Sky?”

“Well, My Lord, I’d also proffer that while he did assault two Investigators, that he did not intend to commit harm. He did want verification that the four were okay.”

“Now I’ve heard everything! A spy with a conscience!” Alma said, smiling. “The evidence is taken for weight. Anything else?”

“No, My Lord.”

“Very well. My late general, this is where you speak.”

Kelbesque stood up during the chuckles. “My Lord, esteemed members of the Order, I am here as Military’s representative. I personally oversaw his capture.”

Alma looked at Toth. “Have you reviewed his report?”

“Aye, My Lord.”

“Was proper protocol followed by Military Division?”

Toth looked uneasy. He stared at Brun, Sky, and the Kelbesque. “I find one point of contention in their methods, My Lord.”

“State your context.”

“My Lord, it seems General Kelbesque threatened the suspect that failure to turn himself in would lead to the General razing St. Mary’s Orphanage.” Gasps filled the room.

“My Lord, I can assure you that I will contest that assertion in the court today!” Kelbesque belted out. All eyes focused on him. “My Lord, in the eyes of military doctrine, I successfully stopped his escape and captured him. I broke no rules of our land.” His eyes met Locke’s. “I merely captured this bottom feeder who attempted to thieve from our people and lost no lives in the process. That is a first for the kingdom.”

Alma looked on, thoughtfully. “Did you threaten the suspect as has been previously asserted?”

“My Lord, it is no threat when the force is not necessary. It is deterrence.”

“No, it’s a disgrace.”

All eyes in the courtroom shifted to Locke. He had spoken out of turn. His eyes clearly showed anger and rage. Kelbesque’s eyes began to match the hue. “Boy, you will have your turn to speak.”

“Spy, you will refrain from speaking. I assure you, despite your lack of trust in me and my Order, that you have your rights here. Continuing on with you General, I expect a yes or no this time.”

“Yes, My Lord. I did speak that threat.”

Locke shifted his gaze to Alma, who met his eyes. “Spy, I suppose you’ve finally found a voice? Speak as you wish on military actions. They seem to fire you up.”

Locke turned his fiery gaze on Kelbesque. “You were still willing to put up a façade involving your own people. You are worse than slime.”

“Spy, I grow tired of this. Don’t be upset because I never intended to follow through on a threat that I knew would draw you out regardless. You lost.”

Locke smiled. “Actually, the Order lost today.”

“Spy, you are on trial today. Victory lies with the Order.”

“I see it a little differently. Today, a stranger saved two lives in your city walls and was the one who was willing not to let you risk innocent people for the sake of little ol’ me. General, I’d look around at the eyes of the people in this room. I’m willing to believe that they _still_ don’t have a guarantee you wouldn’t have dropped that Orphanage. And that scares the living hell out of them.”

The two looked at the room. Kelbesque realized what he was saying. Many angry looks now pierced his exterior. He shuffled uncomfortably. He knew there would be repercussions for what he had done. Still, he stewed inside as he stared at the smug spy who had just defeated him in verbal combat. _I will get my revenge, somehow_.

Locke then turned to Alma. “I don’t know how your kingdom functions like that.”

“With order, discipline, and a willingness to look internally and fix things. Anything else, spy?”

Locke had spoken his peace. He went back to being stoic and proud.

"Anything else before we render judgment?”

“Yes, My Lord,” Sky spoke up.   “As we are following modified Civil Procedure today, a member of the Public wishes to address you regarding the suspect.”

“Certainly. Make it quick, please.”

Suddenly, the room turned to a corner by the door. Locke didn’t pay much attention to the person at first, but then he squinted. He recognized the person as the man who had hugged him in the public square after rescuing the woman and child.

The man began, “My Lord Alma, Magistrates, people in here, I apologize for not knowing much procedures.” He began to tear up.

“Sir, I do apologize, but please get to the point,” Alma muttered.

“I apologize, My Lord. My name is Kevin Hasty.   I ain’t that smart, I ain’t got a good job, just a job stocking shelves at a store. It’s not regarded as good work. But I am lucky as hell and got me an amazing smart and gorgeous wife and son, Marie and Owen. They remind me that I really am more than just a storehand. Today, I almost lost them.” He began to break down. Locke felt tears coming as well. The hug made sense now. The pain of impending loss hit him as well. “And because that guy risked holy hell on himself to save my family, I still got em! I know he sounds like he did some bad stuff, but I beg you, on behalf of my family and the people here who watched him pull off that crazy stunt, please spare his life! He’s gotta be a good man!”

Suddenly, chaos erupted as the small public section erupted in cheers. Locke was crying now at the gesture the man had shown. He heard echoing chants now in the Court. “Spy is good! General bad!” He marveled at the circus now performing in its chamber. Did all spy trials go like this?

Alma’s hand went up. “Thank you, that is enough.” No emotion in her voice. Now no more voices were heard. “It is time to cast judgment. Suspect, you have the floor one last time.”

Locke still had tears in his eyes from Hasty’s speech. “So long as they survived, I am content and have nothing more to discuss.”

“Very well. Judgment shall be easy to render in this case. To all charges brought before you, I find you guilty.”

Locke didn’t shift his emotion. _It was to be expected_. Murmurs and boos started. Very few cheers erupted.

Alma continued to look down. “Per our laws, I am authorized to permit our Kingdom to perform your Execution. It is the expected punishment for a bottom feeder who would think it acceptable to take from us what is not rightfully his. You spit on our law and civil order when you believe you have right to sneak up behind me and stab me in the back.”

Kelbesque chuckled. He would be having a good time tonight. He whispered to Locke, “Tough luck, my boy.”

Alma then looked up. “However…” and both Locke and Kelbesque now looked up, each in equal confusion. “As I was saying before you two stretched your necks, while that is the maximum punishment I can inflict, I must also say that I am unsure that it is wise in this instance. I can certainly expect that the public here is a fair representation of how the people think of you, my dear spy. And I won’t ignore that.”

Locke studied her, trying to comprehend what was going on.

“There are people in this room that see something in you I do not. They see a pure soul concealed in that carcass. Normally, I’d have you dead within the next hour. But then again, this is not normal. You are here primarily because you chose to give up being a spy for several minutes. You chose to do something worthwhile, I’m guessing, for once in your pathetic life. I wouldn’t even be able to administer a death sentence if you had not prevented two others from meeting their own. That is why, in lieu of death, I sentence you to lifetime imprisonment within our compound. Your days will be spent performing menial labor for the people in this government. That is how you continue to repay your debt to me. If you choose, spy, to proffer more information on who you are, where you came from, what you took, and where it went, I may consider altering your sentence, shortening it, or perhaps suspending it. I strongly recommend that this occur within the next week before I lose interest. Do you understand your sentence?”

Locke simply stared. _Um, what?_

“I’ll take your stunned silence as affirmation. This judgment has thus been passed.”

“My Lord, might I appeal this verdict?” Kelbesque interjected.

“Ugh. State reasoning.”

“Perhaps the premise of bad precedent? Now the deterrence that the death penalty brings is no longer valid? What happens when we become overrun with rogues such as him?”

“Then I’ll send you out to make more dangerous threats to my people. Appeal is denied.”

The crowd began to empty out, the public section cheering wildly. Kelbesque shot Locke another sinister glare as he left. Locke acknowledged it as he hung there, still trying to figure out how his day had suddenly gone in yet another strange, unexpected direction.


	23. A Second Chance

Back in his cell, Locke sighed. The shackles would be placed on again at lights out, which was always 2300. He would be awoken at 0700. Since he was no longer being considered for execution, he now had freedom to move about his cell. He stared at his walls emptily. He had expected to be dead by now, as it had struck 1800, yet here he was, a ghost to the world again. His identity was now known only by paperwork back in South Figaro and his existence a file from the Courts of the Kazen. He was now destined to live out his life alone, trapped in a building in a city he once called home.

“This is almost worse than death,” he said to himself.

Suddenly, an orderly entered his room. Locke sighed and walked up to the shackles on the wall. He had learned that when orderlies showed up, this was the procedure to follow. He felt his shackles return to his hands and feet. Then the orderly went to the wall and stood prone, his left hand in his shoulder.

“Vicelord Kinnick arrives!”

Kinnick entered. He frowned when he saw Locke. “Was that why I had to wait? That is unnecessary. Unshackle him.”

The orderly looked confused. “Vicelord, that is for your safety.”

“No, you will be here for that. Please unshackle him.”

“Um, okay Vicelord.”

Suddenly, his shackles were gone. Now Locke stood there before Kinnick. He was dwarfed by both Kinnick’s height and wingspan. He was also still confused by how happy he had seemed at the end of the trial.

_What is he doing here?_

Suddenly, a second orderly showed up with two chairs. Kinnick motioned for Locke to sit in front of him. Locke slowly sat down, never moving his stare from Kinnick.

“Quite a day for you, huh?” Kinnick started at once.

“You could say that.”

“Everyone keeps telling me you won’t say anything. I can understand that. I also believe that you have spoken up for what is right today, and I wanted to thank you for that.”

Locke shrugged.

“Please, you are safe now. Please tell me what you refused to say thus far.”

“I spoke my peace. Saying anything more does not help me.”

“Are you sure about that? Lord Alma was serious when she offered to commute the sentence in response for your cooperation. You could get out of here. Start your life over again wherever you wished.” Kinnick closed his eyes. “I can’t imagine this is what you expected your life to turn into. You assumed death. You almost hoped that. I saw that during the sentencing. You’ve been given a second chance.”

“Vicelord.”

“Please, Kinnick is just fine.”

“Fine. Kinnick, this isn’t exactly what I consider a second chance.”

“Spy?”

“Yes?”

“Do you have a name? I do not like calling you Spy. You’re more than that.”

Locke thought for a moment. “Let’s just go with Anonymous then.”

Kinnick laughed. “Very clever. Ok, Anonymous. I just wish you’d see this as a blessing. Throwing life away didn’t suit you outside the laboratory, but here you preferred martyrdom. Very outside your personality.”

“Look, no offense, but I started doing this for the same reason a lot of people do it. I didn’t have much going for me, and it became this or probably suicide. I’ve now lost both options. I don’t know why you keep going back to this thing about me doing what’s right. I was only here for wrong.”

“Yet you did right. That’s the mark of a good soul and person. I like to save those people.”

“Kinnick, my past ain’t worth saving. I left a lot of people behind on some not so smart reasoning. They’re the good souls. Besides, I won’t abandon or betray where I came from. I’d rather die unknown in here of old age.”

Kinnick sighed. “A good friend of mine, she suffers because of that mentality. Her love disappeared one day. Not a word and not a sound and not a reason why. Who knows where he might be. The point is that his return is all she hopes for. I do not know you or your friends, Anonymous, but I know that if you choose to quit being anonymous, you can return to them and end their suffering. I think the universe would work better that way.”

Locke couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Kinnick was basically lecturing him about his treatment of Celes. “Wish I could share your enthusiasm. I don’t normally leave a good impression on people anymore.”

“You did with me. Plus, I should take you out to the working class neighborhoods right now.”

“Why is that?”

“You’ve become somewhat of a cult object after you saved Marie and Owen. The people are all wearing blue shirts and slacks and low boots. And they’re disheveling their hair in the manner of your half wig.” Kinnick chuckled. “You saved two of their own, protected forty-two children, and defiantly chastised the General who put them at risk in the first place. You may not realize it, but you’ve become a Hero of the People. I’d tout you around for my own popularity.”

“Kinnick.”

“Please, Anonymous. You need not say any more. I know you have no intention of doing so. You won’t give me the chance to free you from the prison you built around yourself, and I understand why. I just hope that I’ve been able to give you a new reflection to see in a mirror, and maybe that will encourage you to reconsider.” He got up to leave. “Anonymous, you already blazed a brand new path today that no one else involved in your line of work would have considered. Perhaps you’ll consider blazing a new one and cooperating with us. It has saved you thus far. I will be back down tomorrow morning after ten, hoping you have at least considered my proposal. I do appreciate the conversation.” Halfway out the door, he stopped. “Anonymous, thank you for saving those two strangers. Not many people would have done that to begin with, let alone in your position.”

And with that, he was gone. The orderly then collected the two chairs and was gone as well.

Locke sat on the metal box and stared at the wall. Kinnick seemed like a sincere man, and he certainly believed in his desire to help Locke escape from his prison. But he couldn’t risk the damage to South Figaro, to Edgar, and especially to Celes. Kinnick was wrong: she and the rest of his friends could find closure thanks to Edgar’s promise. He was as good as dead already.

 

“My Lord, please reconsider, I beg you. I insist I’ve done no wrong!”

“General, based off this report, I’m happy your subordinates don’t share that viewpoint. That is probably what is keeping them within the ranks.”

Kelbesque’s disciplinary hearing wasn’t going exactly like he had hoped. Jarvis had received a demerit for not speaking up sooner, but nothing more. Curley volunteered one for herself, as the episode happened on her mission. Kelbesque’s baseless defending was beginning to anger Alma.

“My Lord, they didn’t deserve punishment to begin with. I knew full well what I was doing and acted on my own. My soldiers are not part of this.”

“Oh, but they are. They became part of it the second you decided to act outside your authorized comfort zone.”

Kelbesque growled. Losing command over this? He was not going down without a fight. “Please, My Lord, I beg of you. Under my tutelage we have begun to turn the tide on Utok. We have finally begun to stop resistance in the Hornata Mountains. So many great-“

“General, do you know what is challenging about having power?”

“Um, My Lord?”

“The challenge is that stepping incorrectly once with it brings it all into question. Your actions cast suspicion and doubt on all of the rest when intentions are wrong. How you became a General and then forgot about that twice now is a concern to me.”

Kelbesque stood quiet. He began to accept his fate. “My apologies, My Lord.”

“Your fervor and rage against spies bit you this time, General. That, and the spy bit you too during the trial.”

Kelbesque now seethed inside. He hadn’t forgotten how the spy had embarrassed him in the court that day. He also had promised himself to get his revenge on the spy once he had a window to do so. “Yes, My Lord.”

“General, do not fret. You will still be General upon completion of this hearing. You will, however, receive three demerits and will perform community service at the Orphanage twice a week for the next four weeks. Dismissed. Get some rest. Tomorrow is a new day to prove to me that I can trust you again.” And with that, Alma got up and left the room.

Kelbesque grumbled in his chair. Pride was clearly his Achilles Heel. Still, he knew who he was and who he believed that spy was. He opened up his schedule to see if he had any reason to visit the jail in the morning. Then, he smiled. Two Utok soldiers had just shown up _._

He looked up at the clock. 1900. They had gone through dinner. He rushed to the dining hall to grab some food.

 

It was now lights out. Locke felt the chains lock him into place. _This is not going to be comfortable_. The light was very dim in his cell. This was going to be his new evening routine for the rest of his life. He would eventually drift to sleep, and he would probably awake when the medic came in the morning to check on his condition at 0700. Such would be life.

He hung there, awake for what felt like hours. He passed the time counting the different small cracks in the wall in front of him. Eventually, exhaustion won out and he fell asleep, his chin almost lodged into his right pec.

Then, Locke felt movements in his room. _Must be 0700 already._ He slowly rolled his neck to try and remove the sharp pain that had developed. He slowly adjusted his eyes to the dim light in the room. _My training is failing me already. I should be awake by now._ He continued to try and stir.

He shot awake when he heard a voice. “Must’ve been tired pretending to be a hero.” He now focused his eyes to see a person wearing what looked like a Military uniform, only he was wearing a mask over his face. He was snickering. By the door stood two other men in Military uniforms.

_What the hell?_

Then he shuddered as he looked to his right.

There was Kelbesque, staring at him, his hair slicked back, a small grin on his face, with two more soldiers flanking him.

“Good morning, my little spy.”

Suddenly, Locke felt very afraid.


	24. Loyalty

The cool rain continuously pelted the top of the carriage as it made its way toward New Narshe. Edgar, Celes, and two assistants sat inside. Not much had been made in conversation. The previous night had been a different story. Celes had run the gamut of emotions from excitement to despondence. Despite Edgar promising that Lord Alma wouldn’t touch Locke based off his request, there was simply no guarantee. Mixing that with hearing him for the first time in six months and learning of his existence had obviously outweighed her penchant for remaining calm, collected, and composed. Terra certainly did not help with her enthusiasm and endless chattering on how happy she was that Locke was finally coming back home. That hadn’t happened yet, and the uncertainty still scared her.

Today, her normal formal personality had returned to her exterior. On the inside, she found herself in constant reflection on her relationship with him. How it had started was very different from where it had led, which had no relation to where it had gone. Her pragmatic outlook always seemed to happily fail due to his influences and charm. Without him, she had found just as much success as she had with him. Besides, he had been the one to decide that _they_ weren’t worth it to him.

Why had she chosen to stay loyal to him?

It was irrational to everyone except her, yet she knew it was because they hadn’t had anything to compare to her story. Locke had given her a second chance on life when he saved her from her cell. And, despite his growing feelings for her, he had insisted that she grow into her own person once she was free from the Empire. With all of her energy, she knew she had tried to avoid the desires she had developed for him, believing them to be some form of emotional manipulation created by him being her savior.

In the end, though, it no longer mattered. They had fallen in love with the other, and despite the circumstances, their hearts hadn’t felt forced into it. It was natural, raw, and powerful. They were soulmates. Despite everything that had happened, she had let go of the anger she had felt from the day he left into the world, abandoning her.

Today, it was her turn. She would give him a second chance at life together. He deserved it.

 

Edgar saw the look. He knew she was pondering her emotions about him. “It’ll be soon enough, Celes.”

“I apologize, Your Majesty, but I cannot shake the thought of seeing him again.”

“I may have to banish you from the Council if you still play the formality game with me.”

“It’s surreal, really.”

“Aye, that it is. I hope you don’t mind if I make him do my laundry for a year.”

“Edgar,” she said, sounding like a general again, “Why exactly are you doing this?”

Edgar looked at her, thoughtfully. “Because I think it is right.”

“Today, I think Figaro will most likely be required to be shamed in public.”

“Those ideas aren’t mutually exclusive here, either.”

“Edgar.”

“I allowed Figaro to tread into dangerous territories. Political treachery. And at the end of it I lost a citizen of Figaro in an immoral means to a questionable end.”

“And getting Locke back will fix that?”

“Well, it won’t erase the loss of life. But it will at least allow me to bring closure to this chapter and help Figaro return to what made her strong initially. Grand ideas, pride in country, advancement in all fields, and doing so with honor.”

Celes gazed at Edgar. “What do you mean, it won’t erase loss of life?”

“Ah, that.” He dropped his head. “One of our other agents was lost to Utok yesterday after we left Mission Control. They bragged about it openly to our foreign contacts. She was a young one too. Amanda Finn was her name.”

Celes refused to let her anger grow. “Not a good day for Figaro.”

“No, It wasn’t. You and Terra were right all along. What we were gaining in information really didn’t benefit us enough to risk the shame we as a people will get today. At least I now get a public venue to denounce the practice and what it cost us. Our people won’t be at risk in this work, and now they will be able to rejoin society and be free under my reign once again.”

Celes now looked angrier. “All of this Locke went through and we don’t gain anything.” Confusion replaced anger when she saw Edgar crack a smile. “Edgar, I’m not in the mood. This isn’t funny to me.”

“Celes, I apologize. I had forgotten I was wrong earlier. We did receive crucial data from Locke in his report.”

“He did?”

“Yes. Information that I may intend to leverage today to soften the blow Lord Alma will want to inflict.”

“Edgar,” she warned, “as happy as I am to be able to see him again, I don’t think trying to achieve a superior position is going to get him back. It may only incite more warlike gestures.”

“If what Locke sent us is true, I fear those gestures may have no choice but to become actions.” He looked at Celes, who now looked uncomfortable. “Celes, this remains confidential from the Council, if you want to know what Locke found.”

“Edgar, I don’t know if I want to hear.” She sighed. “But if it involves the safety of Figaro, I’d like to assist you at diplomacy today. I swear on our friendship to hold this information locked in my heart.”

Edgar still looked uncomfortable. “Very well. Locke uncovered a project called Extraction. It explains why the Kazen suddenly became interested in Hornata. They are searching for something called Nether Stones. One is reportedly located in the earth under their land… Celes?”

Celes had immediately recognized the implications of what Edgar was now saying. She had been required to study them when she was still a Lieutenant in Vector. The Empire had once considered hunting the same Stones years ago, but had given up after deciding that they were mere conjecture. They were five Stones that could summon a spirit once considered the first esper and the original essence of magic. The esper was Diabolos, and lore had written that he had both unconquerable power and an unwavering hatred of humanity. One legend had said Diabolos was only defeated when the earth suddenly opened up under him, swallowing him, and then releasing him in a volcanic eruption in the likeness of five different gems that had awe-inspiring beauty. They were colored black, brown, purple, dark blue, and gold. Their impenetrable outside guarded the dangerous secrets inside. They became known as the Nether Stones, as they had allegedly come up from Hell itself. The five gems were then scattered by the winds, seas, and land, entombed in five locations, so that no one, not even Diabolos himself, could ever utilize his power to bring the world to ruin.

The Kazen had clearly decided to take the world for its own.

“I apologize, Edgar. I know the legend. And your look tells me that the legend has become fact.”

“Aye. The Extraction Project is apparently originally Utok intelligence that Alma stole. The Kazen has decided to take the Stones for itself, apparently. Locke found the locations where the Kazen believes the Stones exist.”

Celes shuddered. “One is in our kingdom.”

“Yes, just north of the castle in fact. I sent a small task force to check for Kazen or Utok activity, and to conduct a search to satisfy my curiosities.”

“So war may actually be in their plans.”

“Yes, so I intend to find some truth today, if I can.”

Celes absorbed all of the new information. She unexpectedly smiled. “Damnit Edgar!”

“Why this time?”

“Here I’ve been all angry and not accepting of the Shadows as a waste, and now thanks to Locke I have to begrudgingly admit that they actually provided something useful!”

Edgar began to laugh. “I apologize if I make your planned guilt trip less guilty!”

“Don’t ever tell Kingsley I said that.”

“I won’t be telling him anything in a little while.”

“Still,” Celes began to worry, “if she does find out we know about the Extraction Project, she may decide not to forfeit Locke.”

“Celes, if she demands what information he stole as a condition of his release, I will be honest. I’m confident, based off how you conduct yourself with her, that this will be enough.”

“How can you be sure?”

He smiled at her. “Because I trust you.”

“Huh?”

“You convinced me she meant no ill will against Figaro the first time I brought you along. I know you think this changes your perception, but you share an amazing ability with Locke in reading into people’s intentions. Since then, I haven’t considered her an enemy when I meet with her. I trust that hasn’t changed because of you.”

“Edgar, that’s quite a leap of faith in me.”

“Well, worst thing that comes out of this is she gets to publicly skewer me. I’ll provide flair to make it a spectacle!” They both chuckled. “Still, I don’t know why you’re surprised at me. You’ve taken the biggest leap of faith out of all of us regarding that damn thief. Someone ought to do that for you.”

“Edgar, do you all consider me crazy for the way I decided to conduct myself regarding Locke?”

Edgar chuckled. “Well, I certainly do. I won’t speak for the others, though Terra thinks you two are the greatest love story in the kingdom. I’m sure you have your reasons for sticking by him. What I’ve grown to understand, though, is that I can accept people’s intentions even when I don’t understand them, so long as it makes them happy. With that, I can accept both you and Locke’s baffling behavior.”

“That is fair. The reason is simple, though. He saved me, and we fell in love. I owed it to him to at least find him and find out if he still shared our love. As painful as yesterday was, I know he still does. I know he always will.”

“Like I said,” he chuckled again, “I still think it’s a bit crazy.” Then he grumbled. “It’s also crazy how often we end up talking like this. I feel bad. This is supposed to be Terra’s thing with you, not mine.”

Celes jokingly pushed him. “She likes that you have that sensitive side. It has also helped me a lot these last six months. Thank you, Your Majesty.” She then smiled proudly.

“Don’t push it,” he half-joked.

“Your Majesty, we have arrived at Lord Alma’s complex!” the driver announced.

Edgar looked at the carriage clock. 0630. Early. Lord Alma would like that.

 

Celes and Edgar were now waiting in the Conference Hall. 0651. They knew they would have no choice but to wait. Suddenly, Celes felt a chill in her bones. She grabbed her side in a protective motion.

Edgar shot her a quick look. “You okay?”

“I think so,” she replied, wincing. But she couldn’t guarantee it and didn’t know why.


	25. Salvation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Graphic depictions of violence, torture, and sexual battery.

Kelbesque’s morning started at 0530. He had started by assembling his normal team to accompany him. His guardsmen were Powell and Swan. His masked sergeant was Harris. His door sentries were Collins and Boggs. The only outlier was Boggs, who was covering a shift for a friend that had received leave to see the birth of his first child. His group was Enlisted soldiers that loved the Order more than life itself. Their common bond was made, however, in inflicting unimaginable pain in captured soldiers and spies. Kelbesque grumbled about Boggs’ presence, but Collins assured him Boggs’ loyalty to the Kazen was unwavering. He would be fine this morning, despite it being his first jail stroll. He was also more reliable than Kelso, who now frowned on harming others and was becoming incredibly vocal about it recently.

Boggs had grown up north of Narshe, living in a small farming community until he had turned eighteen. His ancestors were proud people. They had survived the world’s end and the loss of Narshe, its closest major trading partner. New Narshe welcomed the struggling village in with improvements in irrigation and roads. They offered tax free travel to New Narshe, a city destined to be a commercial and cultural phenomenon. It wasn’t difficult to see why Boggs had quickly taken such a strong interest in the Kazen.

The Kazen promised him a chance to bring glory to a village whose members had rarely ever left the region. He could see the world. He could help the Kazen bring peace and prosperity to the world. He enlisted as soon as he had turned 18. That was only four months ago. He had proudly showed up his symbol, a sword with a Crimson hilt. All who volunteered had received one. It was to never touch the ground until they had finished serving the Order.

He proudly held his to his side whenever he could. After all, he loved the Order. Everything they did made sense and had made him proud to serve.

He had never served prison detail, though. He had captured several Utoks, but never once had he stood guard to see the conditions they were forced to endure before meeting with certain death. That aspect of war admittedly had left him nervous to take the shift. Still, his friend needed to be there to see his family grow. One morning shift was more than worth it to give his friend his unforgettable moment.

By 0625, it was still worth it for his friend, but had found his first doubts in the Kazen. Most notably, he found them in General Kelbesque.

By that point, the second Utok soldier finally lay dead in his cell. The first soldier had clearly accepted his fate and saluted General Kelbesque. Kelbesque nodded his approval and had simply stabbed him in the heart, making the death quick and relatively painless. The second, however, had no intention of giving the Order such courtesy. He spit at the General and had even attempted to break his chains to strike him. Kelbesque had laughed. He then invoked Military Code 93.g, authorization to use up to Phase 4 torture methods against someone who actively threatened an Officer’s life. Boggs sat there guarding the door, wincing, as each Stage’s intensity increased. Boggs did not want to look directly at the Utok, despite his morbid curiosity at how a man could absorb such punishment and not make a sound. He instead chose to focus on Kelbesque, and immediately regretted his decision to look that direction. Kelbesque was _enjoying_ what he was doing, and what he was doing no sane man would ever want to do to another human being. In a sense, Boggs had almost decided the General was no longer human.

The rest of the party, though, approved. And even he had to admit that the second Utok soldier, despite having no legitimate chance to do so, had attempted to harm his General. It was ugly work, but he was able to convince himself it was a necessary evil.

Still, he knew this wasn’t something he could ever handle long term. At least the shift wouldn’t see more bloodshed. Those were the only two soldiers in the prison. He had survived staring at death to let his friend bless new life. That at least made him happy.

Then, the General turned to his group. The cell had the foul stench of death, among other unpleasant odors. The rest of the group didn’t mind it. Boggs was trying not to wretch.

“One more cell to stop at. Cell 4. That spy from yesterday.”

Everyone else started to chuckle and cackle with delight. Boggs was suddenly very nervous and he didn’t know why.

It was 0633 when they opened the door to Locke’s cell and took their positions. Boggs saw him sleeping and chained to the wall. He was clearly uncomfortable in that position but had made do. He focused his mind to remember his duty.

A few moments later, he saw Locke begin to stir.

 

Locke’s fear was certainly justified. He had heard in his training about these alleged nightly and morning meetings in Kazen prisons. He had also heard the rumors of torture that Kelbesque had long been utilizing to destroy humanity and send fear throughout enemy ranks.

He now prayed to himself that so much anecdotal evidence could be wrong.

“Spy? Please don’t tell me you fear my intentions,” Kelbesque said.

Locke remained silent but clearly alert. Suddenly, the left side of his face stung as the masked sergeant landed a jab. After his vision came back, he turned to study the masked sergeant. He, like the rest of the soldiers, was not wearing his nametag. Locke closed his eyes to begin filtering out the pain from his mind and accepting a truth in his situation.

_This is unauthorized. This is going to hurt. A lot._

“Spy, please! I implore you! You seem so willing to open up to everyone else! It hurts me that you would cut me so with your silence!” Kelbesque protested mockingly. He then pulled a tiny dagger out and slashed at his right bicep through his silver tunic. Locke sat there, bewildered at what he was witnessing. Kelbesque was now bleeding through the tunic, his sadism and masochism both clearly on display.

_This guy is insane. What do I do to calm down an insane person?_

Suddenly, his right cheek stung as much as his left had just before. Before he temporarily lost vision, Locke swore the left door sentry seemed just as shocked as he was.

Boggs also couldn’t believe it. His eyes were agape as he saw Kelbesque’s unstable behavior. What on earth was he doing?

Then Kelbesque got closer to Locke. He was now mere inches from Locke’s face. Locke refused to make eye contact, looking down and away.

“Spy, do you mean to say you refuse my company?” Kelbesque asked, sounding hurt. He stepped back. “Perhaps I am too close to you? Does this work?”

Locke knew he would have to make eye contact soon. He had become terrified of what might happen if he continued to refuse the General’s requests. He finally looked up.

Kelbesque immediately locked on to Locke’s terrified look. He gasped. “My goodness! I seem to have scared you! How dare I give you the wrong impression!” His crew joined with choreographed gasps. “That certainly isn’t fair to you. I do believe we’ve started off on the wrong foot. Let us fix that. Adjust those chains!”

Suddenly, Locke was set into a new uncomfortable position. His arm chains had loosened, making him tilt forward. He was now angled almost forty-five degrees to the ground, facing down. The strain on his shoulders intensified. He winced.

“Do not worry, my dear spy! I simply ask for some confirmation and perspective, and once I receive that I will set you free. Please spy, your name please!”

_What is happening?_

“Age? Anything? Confess your thefts? No?”

_Please, someone help me!_

Kelbesque pretended to plunge a knife into his heart. “Why can’t you see, spy? We are not so different, you and I.”

Locke opened up his eyes at that statement. He looked at Kelbesque, using all of his strength not to get angry.

Kelbesque met his stare with a crazed one of his own. “We are both looking for salvation in our own ways, are we not? I wake up every day with the grand task of protecting my people. I have to send youths younger than us out to battles and pray I need not send word of their deaths to their families. Such power is humbling. I sometimes stop to wonder if I am truly able to wield it properly. It leads me to question much.”

Locke hung there, trying to feign agreement.

“You must be searching as well for a salvation of some kind, no? What else could you be looking for? After all, you fell deeper than pig shit the day you decided to be a spy. The day you became lower than a bottom feeder. You must have realized it, spy?”

_Perhaps I should try to reason with him? I have to try something. He’s looking for any dissent now._

Locke nodded. Kelbesque fell back, genuinely stunned. “The spy moves! Speak now, you do hope for salvation from this cursed field?”

Weakly, Locke said, “I do.”

Kelbesque now began to clap, and the rest of the group finished the applause. “Spy, I must commend you! I was wrong yesterday when Lord Alma spared your pathetic existence. You _are_ capable of rational thought. Even now, I can see positive energy flowing! The same energy you used to climb into that building, I bet!”

Locke nodded along, hoping the General was finally feeling empowered.

Suddenly, Kelbesque ran up to Locke and hugged him. As he did, a stunned Locke heard him whisper in his ear, “Thank you for giving me this moment.” Then he stepped back. He now turned to his entourage. “See? Even swine can recognize my good intentions. Look at this man! He has grown today.” The room began to cheer their General.

Locke stopped moving. His dread suddenly returned. His ability to read people hadn’t faltered, and as Kelbesque’s twisted monologue had droned on, Locke had begun to realize his fate had already been sealed. No amount of praying he could change Kelbesque’s mind would alter that. He just had no clue what was in store.

The general then ordered the masked sergeant to remove Locke’s feet shackles. Once they were free, Locke struggled to stand. He finally found his footing. He looked at Kelbesque, more alert than previously.

“See? I can show mercy. I know you see that, Spy!” Kelbesque boasted, as the group cheered again. “And that’s what matters today. I can now feel empowered to remove your final harness.”

Locke’s face now lost its color. His horrified eyes looked at Kelbesque. His face had suddenly become much more serious. The premeditated gasps echoed around the room. He now knew why the act had been what it was.

Kelbesque was now grabbing his right bicep, smiling. Another stream of blood streamed through the tunic, further expanding the crimson spot. He stared at it, and then walked up to Locke. A new sinister look appeared.

“If only you hadn’t somehow disabled my man and slashed at me with your spy training _._ ”

Locke’s jaw dropped. Rage filled his eyes. He wanted to scream of the injustice, but he wouldn’t give Kelbesque that ammunition. He clenched his eyes and face.

Kelbesque knew he had struck his prisoner in his soul. “Go ahead and speak your mind, before it’s too late.”

Locke remained silent. _I won’t give you that satisfaction_.

“Very well, then. I don’t care if you choose to make a sound or not. Sergeant, did you witness this spy attack me as I described earlier?”

The masked sergeant cackled. “Sure did, General. Good thing I stopped him.”

“Well, you need to do better. He’s still breathing.” He observed Locke break into a cold sweat, the redness in his cheeks delighting his sadism more and more. He watched as his guardsmen now held Locke’s sides, binding him. Kelbesque walked up to him and placed his hand on Locke’s cheek. “Do not fret, for your salvation is nigh.” He then leaned in and whispered in his ear, one last time. “And I will take great pleasure in delivering it to you.”

He then stepped back. He looked at the sergeant. “Initiate Article 93.g, only this time we shall go one Phase higher.”

The sergeant cackled with delight. “Yes sir!” He then pulled a box forward. He opened it and removed a dagger. Locke noted the blade had several expertly machined notches in it. His body begin to tremble. He closed his eyes. He needed comfort and safety.

_Celes… please, Celes, protect me somehow._

“Phase 1 of salvation requires you to begin a metamorphosis,” Kelbesque belted out. “This dagger shall help release your past sins. In your case, I’d say either the tongue that disrespected me or that right foot which you used to start your escape. Sergeant, which should it be?”

“Sir, I recommend the foot. Screams are pathetic without a tongue.”

“So be it. Let the healing begin!”

Locke’s eyes begin to redden as the masked man approached. He could not move. He was shackled and the guardsmen were too strong. He had to meditate and find a place in his mind where he could nullify the pain.

Then he exhaled and grunted. His eyes winced. A tear fell. He refused to look. Then, he grimaced harder. The blade had gone through the top of his foot to the bottom of his foot by the arch. He had felt the notches tearing into flesh, muscle, and tendon, and then through flesh once again. Then, he felt the reverse course. That motion was much faster and hurt a lot more.

Suddenly, Kelbesque shouted, “See if he can stand!”

The guardsmen let him go. Locke’s right foot suddenly reflexed up to ease the pressure on his foot. He felt blood pouring out of his wound in two directions.

“He cannot! The wickedness is no longer a crutch!” Kelbesque shouted. More cheers. “Phase 2, Sergeant. Keep the goodness inside him.”

“Yes sir!”

Locke opened his eye just enough to see what was coming next. He shuddered when the masked man revealed what looked like a smelting rod. It held a white hue. He knew what that was destined to do.

The guardsmen were back on him, holding him still and placing his right foot forward and out toward the masked man. He was grinning through the mask as he applied the rod to Locke’s foot. The intense heat and pain suddenly jarred Locke into a sweat. He bit down on his own lip to prevent the screams he knew would delight Kelbesque. The pain lessened for a moment, but then it returned as the rod was now applied to the top of his foot. Locke began to smell the stench of dead skin as he felt his foot charring and burning inside and out. This episode lasted almost two minutes.

“Now, see if he can stand with his newfound strength!”

Once again, he was let go, feet planted onto the ground against his wishes. As soon as his support disappeared, Locke collapsed as much as he could until his shoulders strained again. His feet no longer rested on the ground but instead were behind him. Still, he told himself, _be strong_. _You can survive this._

“Phase 3. Cleanse his body.” Kelbesque sneered.

“Yes sir!”

Suddenly, Locke felt his body unshackled. Then, he was oriented in a such a way that he was suspended flat on his metal box, unable to move due to the strength of the guardsmen.

_What the fuck are these guys doing now?_

The next thing he saw was the masked marauder covering his face with a cloth.

“Ruin the darkness for him! Bring him to the light!” Kelbesque preached!

Suddenly, Locke felt a drowning sensation. He felt his body tense up, an instinct Shadow Ops had tried to develop to survive certain torture methods. He prayed it would work this time. Then, he felt his head forced backward. The sensation got exponentially stronger in an instant. Inside, he snapped. He felt himself trying to thrash out of his watery prison. But he could not move. Now, he heard the guardsmen laughing at his misery. After what seemed like an eternity, he was lifted up. The sensation disappeared. He began coughing and spitting, trying to get through the soaked cloth that lay over his face. Maybe a minute later, he was forced back down and the routine continued.

After five sessions, he was suddenly shifted upright again. The mask was removed. Locke began to gasp for air and cough violently, but the shackles once again thwarted his body’s involuntary movements. The darkness had terrified him. The light made him cower. There was almost nothing left of him in his mind, and he knew it.

He was losing badly. He couldn’t handle much more of this.

Kelbesque cackled. “Phase 4, give him a new vessel!”

For some reason, Locke forced himself to look. When he saw an electric prod in the hands of the masked maniac, he could only let out a whimper. He knew he had lost. His mind gave in to his basic instincts. “Please, no more.”

Kelbesque laughed. “Ah, he begs of mercy! Shall I show it to him? Has he become a useful member of society?”

A chorus of boos and the word ‘no’ now punished his ears. Locke began to whimper again.

“Sergeant, a new vessel.”

“Yes sir!”

Locke couldn’t bear to watch what was going to happen now. Suddenly, he felt searing pain throughout his entire body. He felt skin begin to melt and what felt like his blood boiling away from inside. The source had started in his neck. There was nothing left inside him. He began to scream as loud as he could.

“Please! No more! No more! Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh! Help! Help me!”

Suddenly, the sensation went away. He felt himself go limp in his chains. The shock had gone for fifteen seconds. Now the smell of his skin remained. He wouldn’t dare open his eyes, even if he still had the strength for it. It had started to smolder, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to handle the image.

Too late. Locke immediately lurched forward. A greenish red mix exited his mouth. Then a second course followed. His throat burned with searing pain now. His breathing was now short and rapid. His whimpers were now reflexive and unable to be controlled.

“Well done, my little spy! I can’t believe you’ve survived all four phases! Our last soldier clearly didn’t have the dedication and desire to see this through. Give our spy a round of applause!” An insincere set of hands clapping echoed in the room. Kelbesque now stood over his defeated prisoner. “Spy, I’m almost too angry right now. I had thought you had given up! I didn’t think this was possible! The gods will certainly bless this moment.”

Locke felt the shackles release from his feet, then his hands. He must’ve destroyed his left shoulder, for he could still feel a strong surge of pain as the socket returned closer to his body and the ground. He felt like he was floating now. He didn’t know why. Perhaps he was too far gone from his own mind to realize that the guardsmen now held him up. He felt himself slipping into an unconscious state.

Kelbesque noticed it too. “Please, sergeant, bring him back for me.”

Suddenly, Locke’s eyes shot open. He was aware again of his surroundings. But how?

_What is happening to me now?_

“Spy, I can’t lose you yet,” chuckled Kelbesque. “This is too monumental an occasion. Very few survive the transformation! Look into my eyes.”

Locke couldn’t focus. He didn’t want to move. He just knew he now had control over his mind again.

“The drugs we just gave you allow you to return to this world. It is important too.   I don’t want to lose someone as special as you!”

Locke instead tried to refocus on pushing the pain out of his mind. It was now all over his body. The only place left that didn’t hurt was his bowels. Somehow, they had escaped so far.

Kelbesque grabbed his hand to force a handshake. “You will thank me for this. After all, salvation lies within.”

Suddenly, Locke felt his body pushed toward the ground. He felt his arms reshackled above him. His left arm’s pain was real, yet somehow he no longer felt it. Then, he felt his knees forced to the ground. His arms now swung behind him, suspended in the air. He could no longer move, yet he was keenly aware of everything around him. His head was then pulled up by Kelbesque to force him to see the masked murderer. He was still holding the electric prod. And he was smiling.

_No, not again. Please no…_

Kelbesque then gazed into Locke’s eyes. Locke had never seen a look this evil on Kefka’s face. He watched Kelbesque turn and nod to the masked man.

Kelbesque then returned to Locke’s desperate face. “Now, we give you what every spy truly wants. Something that can provide salvation for your mind, body, and soul. Something that can release you from your self-inflicted torture.”

Locke suddenly cried out. They had undone his pants. He felt them slide down with his underwear below the knees. Sheer terror and panic overtook him. Somehow, he fought through the drugs to find his voice. “No! You’re insane! Someone stop this! No, not this! No, no no!”

“Oh, my little spy. Yes, yes, yes. Time to give you what every one of you bottom-feeding maggots has lost in life. It is time to give you love!”

He then stood back. “Sergeant, give him the love of the Kazen to remember us by.”

Locke heard the sergeant happily shout, “Yes sir!” through his own cries. He knew what was about to happen. He was defenseless. He hated himself for getting caught. He hated his life. He hated everything now. All he had was what was left of him. And that was not enough. The anticipation now stung at him as he waited for the final blow he now believed he deserved.

Then he felt a blunt force from behind, pushing closer and closer to his front. It felt warm, yet sent cold pains throughout his body. He lost control of his senses. He was now whimpering, quietly begging Kelbesque to spare him.

Kelbesque heard his appeal. He simply knelt to be almost level with Locke. He grabbed his face to ensure that Locke heard his final words.

“I told you this would be a victory for the Order.”   He then stepped back. “Give him our love.”

Locke heard the prod’s high pitched sound start up. It was now only moments away. He closed his eyes again. He only had one thought left.

_I love you Celes._

In an instant, his entirety felt like it had exploded. A crushing pain overtook his body, inside and out. He let out one final scream. There were no words in it, just sound. It lasted six seconds. Then, darkness surrounded him, and his scream went silent.

Soon after, the masked sergeant turned off the prod and slowly removed it. He looked at the shaft, now covered with several colors and emitting disgusting fragrances. He smiled as he proceeded to wipe it off all over the body that was now suspended in front of him.

Everyone now turned to look at Locke. He simply hung there, unresponsive. Slightly charred skin was now covered by orange plasma in some areas. Some of his hair smoldered quietly. The familiar death twitch would die down eventually.

Kelbesque leaned back, smiling. “Well done, everyone!” He then looked up at the clock. It read 0649. “Clean up our normal mess. Bring the pants back up high. Is the report ready?”

“Yes sir. Just finished it during Phase 5.”

“Fantastic.” He read it over, ensuring every detail that needed to be in there could be seen.

“General, perhaps we should sign this somewhere else. Time is of the essence. Medical will be here soon.”

“Indeed.” Then they all filed out. Before they left, the guardsmen set the scene as it needed to look. It didn’t take long. They had gotten proficient.

The door closed. Locke now lay there hanging, broken, beaten, covered in his own blood, vomit, and other internal bodily fluids. His breath finally stopped. The clocks outside the cell read 0651. Death would come for him soon.


	26. For Eternity

Once outside and in a new hallway, Kelbesque beamed at his team. “Men, today you have served the Order with exemplary skill and dedication. It is never easy to do this work, but your love and commitment allow the Kazen to shine another day. Your records will, of course, reflect that. Now, everyone sign off the report.”

Everyone lined up to sign, except one man who stood to the side, not moving.

Kelbesque grumbled. “Boggs, your turn to sign.”

Boggs mumbled, “Yes sir.” He then walked over and read the report. His heart splintered when he read the portions where it said the spy had attacked the General, and that he had valiantly subdued the prisoner. His training took over, and he signed it without looking at it. He then began to walk away.

Suddenly, there was a hand on his shoulder. He looked to his side. There was Collins giving him a sympathetic look. “Hey man, sorry about that. It’s always roughest the first two or three times. You’ll be okay, all right?”

Boggs did not respond. He looked like had deserted his own body.

“General, I don’t think Boggs is cut out for this.”

Suddenly, Kelbesque was looking at Boggs. He also had a sympathetic look in his eyes. “Son, I know that was not easy to witness. The ugliness of war never is. Do understand that I commend your fierce loyalty to the ugly rights that must happen to maintain our kingdom’s glory. This has clearly hit you hard. Collins, you shall stay with him until he takes this r and r chit to his superior. He’s earned two weeks off. Son, take a break from this. We all need one from time to time. It will do you good. In the meantime, talk to your superior to see if you can get a change of duty. If this is not your thing, then so be it. You will clearly provide the Order victories in a different position. Go now!”

Boggs started walking. As he did, he realized that Kelbesque had not noticed him leave the room during Phase 5. No one had. They were too busy watching that poor spy be destroyed from the inside, the last horrific act he had ever expected to see. He could not escape the images. They instantly began to haunt him. Cold sweat broke out all over his body. He started covering his ears, trying to drown out the screams he had heard. But there was no mute button in his mind.

Locke’s screams were his now to hold for eternity.

Collins look at him, genuinely concerned for his fellow soldier. He had seen it before once, and it ended with a self-inflicted funeral. “Hey man, you’re gonna be fine. I’ll be here to help you through it, okay? We all will.”

They were now at his superior’s office. The door read JARVIS, THOMAS. They walked in. The clock read 0705.

 

Locke was now surrounded in infinite darkness. He now felt lighter than air and believed he could fly. He was now soaring high in the jail cell. He gave himself a look over. Not a scratch was on him.

_I guess this is it, huh?_

He tried looking at the floor to see what remained of his earthly vessel, but he surprised himself. He could not see it. All he saw was the floor bathed in an eerie blue light. In fact, all of the walls now glowed in the same blue hue. He tried to reason on what was happening.

_Is this death? Purgatory? Do the gods even want a soul who just went through that?_

After what seemed like an eternity, the walls began to fade. Locke’s face suddenly stared in awe. Before him was the cosmos, stretching to infinity. It was beautiful.

Suddenly, he heard an angelic voice. _Locke_.

He looked around, but saw no one around. He did not recognize the voice, either. “Yes?”

_Locke. What are you doing here?_

“Huh? You mean you didn’t see all that?”

_I did. It filled me with sadness._

“Who are you? Rachel?”

_Locke, please calm down._

Locke couldn’t. The emptiness of space began to fill him. He looked around frantically, all around and up and down. He was the only soul here. “Please, who is this?”

_Locke._

“Please, before I disappear…”

Locke began to cry. His body began to fade from his vision as well.

_Locke, are you ready to join us?_

Locke began to cry. “What?”

_Submit, and join us all in peace and tranquility. This is what you desired?_

Suddenly, Locke thought of her. He closed his eyes to focus on her image. As he did, he began to feel his body return to solid state. He opened his eyes. He was back. “Not yet, please. I must see her once more, first.”

_Locke, is she the one you choose?_

Locke now refused to give up the image now burned in his mind.

“Celes.”

Suddenly, he felt warmth around him. He opened his eyes. Celes was there in front of him, and her ethereal blue arms were surrounding him though they were unable to hold on.

_Locke, what are you doing? What has happened?_

“Celes, I’m so happy I get to see you one more time!”

_Locke, no, this is not right._ She suddenly floated backwards, away from him.

“Celes? No! Please, come back. Be with me in my last moments! That’s all I ask for.”

Suddenly, she stopped. She closed her eyes. Then, she shot forward and contorted into a blue arrow. She pierced through to his heart. In that instant, he felt her love and presence fill every part of him. The feeling left him in awe.

Then she reappeared again in front of him. Locke smiled. “Thank you. Now I can die in peace, feeling your love for eternity.”

_No._

Locke opened up his eyes. “Huh?”

_There will be time for that later. It will come to us all at some point. But not yet. Now rise again, my Phoenix._ Suddenly, she disappeared, and Locke felt himself falling again, only this time the cosmos shrank and the jail cell returned. The last thing he saw was the door before he reentered his body.

The clocks in the compound now read 0655. A minute ago, his heart had stopped beating. Now, somewhere inside him, a burst of energy erupted. First, it struck his heart, encouraging it to beat once again. Once that had happened, it pushed forward to his lungs, aiding them in beginning to expand and contract. Finally, it awoke his conscience with a kiss, but helped shuttle his mind to sleep so that it might escape the jolts of pain receptors that were soon to startle.

The body that had been dead was now faintly breathing and had a slight pulse. Time was now critical. The body still wouldn’t be able to survive this alone for much longer.

 

At 0655, Celes suddenly felt a wave of intense warmth come back to her. She had been shivering for almost five minutes. Edgar looked on worriedly. “Are you sure everything is ok?”

“I, I don’t know. I feel like my soul had abandoned me for some reason. I think I’m okay.”

“Celes, you don’t have to be tough in this instance. I can handle this.”

“Edgar, I think I’ll be fine.” Celes gazed into the room again. For a moment, she swore she had seen the beauty of outer space.


	27. Race Against Time

A medic walked out of the jail cell where the second Utok soldier’s body still lay. His nametag read OSHIER, JOSHUA. Like Boggs before him, the prison was a new tour of duty for him. He had been there for nearly a month now. Today was just another day for him to remember why he could not wait to return to the frontlines. Taking care of the Order meant more to him than cleaning up Utok remains. He thought of his wife, blowing her a kiss. He then emptied his lungs, and continued on to the next cell. That was his mechanism of coping.

Three other medics came around the corner. Oshier pointed to the cell he had just come from. When they disappeared into the room, he tapped his headset. “Dispatch, Oshier. Medics have arrived at Cell 8. Stand down medical emergency.” He heard the confirmation, and continued to the next cell.

Oshier had always had an addictive personality. He knew how to flip on the switch to stay unfazed in intense fire, dedicated to his duty to protect life when it needed him. A few seconds later, you could hear him from several rooms down in his normal voice, speaking his mind. He was already considered one of the top battlefield medics in the Order. His application to Medical School had a lot of potential, and he knew he’d love to continue serving the Order as a doctor or surgeon.

Now, he was exiting Cell 5. “Dispatch, Oshier. Cell 5 sat.” He then walked a little further down the hall. His watch read 0702. He was making good time.

His medical senses and battlefield experiences now came back to him. The faint smell permeated his sinuses. He snorted and now moved faster. “The hell? The soldiers were down there.” He hurried to Cell 4 and opened the door.

Oshier almost stopped in his tracks as he happened upon Locke’s body. He couldn’t recognize much of the corpse now in front of him. Oshier dropped his head. “Such a shame. Thought you were allegedly a good guy.”

Then, his eyes focused immediately on Locke’s neck and chest. His instincts and training were telling him something wasn’t right. And that was when he noticed the very faint breathing and slight convulsions through an artery just below his jaw.

The spy was indeed alive. Somehow, with what hells had shook him up, he was still alive.

“The fucking fuck? You’re still with us?” Oshier belted loudly. Then, in the next moment, the battlefield returned. The switch had been flipped. It was time to perform.

He had to hurry. There was no way the spy would last much longer.

“Dispatch! Oshier reporting. Medical emergency in Cell 4! Assistance demanded!”

“Oshier, Dispatch. Medical emergency acknowledged. Same request for three medics?”

“No, this guy’s still alive! Somehow, this guy is still alive! Request duty corspman, all trauma medics available, Anesthesia, Biohazard, shit, anyone else lay to Cell 4 now!”

“Um, request acknowledged. Transmitting to Infirmary. Anything else?”

“Yeah, what the fuck goes on in this place? I’m acting as First Responder. Oshier out!”

He now opened up his MediKit and began a basic diagnostics evaluation of Locke. He had seen bad out in the field, so he was not scared of the evaluation. This was, however, the first out of many cases in the prison where death had not been his prognosis.

A minute later, he laid out what he could as a diagnosis. He pulled out his recorder. “Oshier, report from Cell 4 in New Narshe. Patient is barely with us. He is in an unconscious state. His arms are tethered to the wall in chains. Evidence of left shoulder separated. Due to smells, intense heat applied somewhere to body, but it seems masked by different source. Best guess is electrocution due to second degree burns all over the skin. Right foot has had puncture from top to bottom of foot cauterized. Massive trauma throughout body. Estimated time in condition is roughly ten minutes. Oshier out.”

Oshier worked feverishly. He knew this man’s life depended on it, no matter what he had done to earn the punishment he had clearly endured that morning. He breathed easier when he heard Dispatch announce that almost all of Medical was now en route to the Prison. He looked at Locke, knowing he couldn’t possibly know a medic was in the room. “Stay with me, buddy. We’re gonna get you through this!”

Roughly two minutes later, the door to the cell burst open. In ran two trauma medics. They both gasped when they saw the sight. One looked back to the door. “Biohazard, in here now! Medical Condition Delta is now in effect. Move!”

Oshier had not been happier to see his medics in quite some time.

 

Boggs hadn’t moved since he had sat down in a chair as requested by Jarvis. Jarvis kept shooting him strange looks. “Collins, you sure r and r wasn’t swapped for loony bin?”

“Commander, we are simply following General’s orders. I brought him here.”

Jarvis finished the report on what had happened that morning. “Yeah, well you’re staying until we get through to him. What on earth happened?”

“My apologies, sir. It was his first jail tour.”

“My gods, you don’t vet your own anymore, do you.”

“Sir, he volunteered for it to help Kelso see his child born. Respectfully, I will do whatever I can to help him out.”

“I know you will, Collins. We need more of you,” Jarvis said, smiling. He turned again to Boggs. “Boggs, jail tour is probably one the worst, if not the worst, tours a man in Military Division can do. I know you pride yourself on your resolve, but not everyone is cut out for the shit you see.”

_The shit I saw. I did, in fact, see shit_.

“I need you, buddy. You’ve done fantastic work for us. I’m suspending your ability to stand prison duty. That way you can continue to make us great. Today sucked, but you still helped make the Order great. I’ll extend the r and r to three weeks. Collins will make sure you get back to your room. Anything else for me? Please speak your mind. I would be honored to help out any soldier in need.”

Boggs then stood up. He could no longer see reason in what Jarvis had tried to convince him. He had failed his principles. He had not attempted to intervene in a coverup. He had instead selfishly assisted in making it plausible. He now believed he had damaged the Order. He longed for his village. They would be angry at first from the shame he now gave to the Boggs name, but they would forgive him. They would silence the screams still in his mind.

Without a sound, he touched his right shoulder. He drew his Crimson Blade, and held it even with the ground. He then knelt down, carefully placing it on the ground before him. Finally, he stood back up, his hand still holding his right shoulder.

Jarvis shot him a glare. Boggs had performed the Military custom of surrendering his term of service to the Order. “Boggs? The hell?”

“Sir, I can no longer serve here. I do not have the ability to fulfill my duties faithfully. Please accept my resignation.”

Jarvis shot him a stare. He was now very suspicious. “Tell you what, Boggs. I’ll summon General Curley down here. She recruited you. I want you to explain your turmoil to her. If you can do that, I’ll sign the release papers this morning.”

Boggs began to cry. “It’s a deal, sir.”

Collins turned and placed his hand on Boggs’ shoulder. Boggs felt sincere warmth from a man he no longer liked. “Hey man, I know you’re upset, but don’t let your emotions run this one. Please reconsider.” He then turned to Jarvis and saluted. “Request to leave, sir, if I am not needed.”

Jarvis slowly shook his head. Now Collins began to look nervous. “Sir?”

“Sergeant Collins, you are hereby ordered to remain here to witness what Boggs says to General Curley. I’d like to get a few more details in about the shit that went down.” He tapped his headset. “General Curley, Commander Jarvis. Your presence is respectfully requested in my office.”

“I hear you, Commander. Jarvis, what’s this about? You are interrupting my morning quarters.”

“Ma’am, I request conference. We have a soldier who wishes to resign.”

“I see. I’ll be down soon. Has a chaplain been called yet?”

“They were the next call.”

“Jarvis, they should always be the first. I’ll be down in less than five. Out.”

Jarvis made his second call, and then ordered Collins to sit in a chair. He calmly told Boggs that he could move freely in the room until Curley showed up. He lit a cigarette. He already knew it was going to be a very long day. He had anticipated that something was amiss in the report he had read, well before the attempted resignation. He may not like spies, but if he was certain of one thing, it was that this one was not capable of attacking someone, even Kelbesque.

 

“Looks painful! Hope you showed no mercy!”

“My lady, the pain means nothing. It is a horrible side effect of the job I choose to perform.”

Kelbesque was now at the complex’s Laundry Services. His now-crimson tunic had just been taken into the back. Now he was enjoying his adoring fan.

“Serves the shit right. Thinks he can come in here and hurt our military men.”

“Ma’am, you know my thoughts on the subject every time we have this conversation. I simply hope he finds peace and tranquility now. He is no longer a threat.”

“How do you do it? You deserve something more than to deal with rubbish like him.”

“Ma’am, so long as I take away the ugliness of our realm and keep it out of view from wonderful people like you, I can find the courage to continue in this ghastly line of work.”

The maid swooned. “It’ll be perfect again in three hours.”

“You always do wondrous work. I appreciate it.”

He then turned and walked away, whistling.

 

Curley stared at the two sergeants in front of her. She had just finished reading the report. She hated Phase 4 reports. She was only human, and now the two men seemed less like humans and more like monsters. “Okay, Boggs, what’s going on? Why are you trying to leave?”

“Ma’am, like I told Commander Jarvis, I do not have the ability to serve my duties faithfully.”

“Explain.”

“Ma’am, please, I feel that is explanation enough.” He began to sweat. The chaplain placed a cool cloth on his forehead. “I don’t want to try. The pain, it comes back if I have to think about it.”

“Well, Boggs, I hate to tell you this, but desertion isn’t going to help you run from pain like this.” She gave him a look of concern. “Something like this can be very traumatic to those who witness it, or experience it. It clearly rocked you to your core. Right now, I have an obligation to ensure you recover from this.”

Boggs looked defeated. “I deserve no recovery, ma’am, especially not from the Order I failed.”

“Well, we will make that call right now, not you. You’re not in good capacity. I daresay you haven’t been since the torture began.”

Suddenly, Boggs became angry. “What would you know?”

“Sergeant,” Curley replied in a confused tone, “what about my concern sets you off?”

“You sit here and spout off rhetoric about me without knowing what I saw in there! What happened in there! You don’t know this pain, ma’am! Please, stop trying to sound like you do!”

Curley sat back, looking at Boggs. She knew he wouldn’t confess to anything with reason. She would have to appeal to something. She suddenly thought of the spy and his behavior, and how she had appealed to his principles to get him to talk. An idea went off in her head.

“Boggs,” she began, “what happened to you? It hurts me to see this. You were one of the happiest recruits I have ever seen. That optimism in the Order rippled through your Confirmation Ceremony and has touched everyone here. I know I’m not wrong, am I?”

Boggs began to cry. “Ma’am, that optimism meant everything to me.”

“I’m sure it does now. You’re a great man. You’ve always spoken up for what’s right, even in dicey times. We need that man here in the Military Division.”

Boggs shook his head. “That man is gone now, ma’am!”

“Boggs,” Curley said, now feigning hurt, “why are you lying to me?”

“Ma’am, please don’t.”

“Boggs, I can’t help it! I can see it. It’s killing you to abandon all of this. For some reason, you feel shame in your action. Based off this report,” she said while holding it in the air for him to see, “you did not do anything wrong in the eyes of the Order. You acted within capacity. That is a general’s shining moment.” She smiled. “In a heated moment, you chose to stick with the laws you swore to uphold in your behavior, and did not stoop to anything abhorrent.” She then took a step toward him. “Please pick up your Crimson Blade. For me, if no one else. You inspire me today. You inspire us all today!”

Boggs broke down. Curley smiled inside. She knew Kelbesque had probably said something similar earlier to him. His obvious pain and disgust in the words she had chosen would crack the lie.

“Ma’am, I cannot inspire.”

“Sergeant, I’ve already told you, yes you can! This paper shines justice into the eyes of our enemies.”

“Not if it isn’t the truth, it doesn’t!” Boggs shouted, defeated. He then broke down in his chair, sobbing.

Jarvis stood there, stunned. Collins began to shift very uncomfortably. Curley hammed up a shocked expression to keep the charade going. “Boggs, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that the report ain’t right! It’s filled with wrongs.”

“Boggs,” Curley asked, now sounding concerned, “what are you talking about?”

Silence.

“Ma’am, I can proffer for you.”

Curley turned to see Collins, now shaking. He was clearly trying to find a way out of this. She knew he’d botch it. “Collins, what’s going on here? What does Boggs mean?”

“Ma’am, we lied about Boggs subduing the spy.”

Curley began her investigation. “Continue.”

“Ma’am, I stopped him, not Boggs.”

“Why lie about that?”

“We all felt bad about his being on the jail tour. He just flat out volunteered to help one of our guys be with his wife and new baby. He shouldn’t have been there to begin with, so we all agreed to give him an eval point that shined. It seemed only fair to the guy for being so awesome.” Suddenly, Collins felt even more nervous. Curley’s inquisitive eyes had locked into his. He knew she wasn’t buying it. “Ma’am, please believe me. It’s a stupid thing to lie about, but it’s the least we could do. It’s like you said, Boggs is a great guy. Didn’t seem right not to give him something positive.”

“Collins.” Collins now looked over at Boggs. He was staring ahead. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey man, you have nothing to be sorry about. Really, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do. I guess I’m not a great guy.” He stood up and faced Curley. “General, Collins didn’t subdue the spy.”

“Then who did?”

“No one. He never attacked the General.”

Collins closed his eyes and began to shake. Jarvis and the chaplain both did double takes.

“Boggs,” Curley now looked more concerned, “that is a very serious statement to make. Do you mean to assert that the suspect in Cell 4 never actually threatened harm toward anyone else in that room?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Anything else you’d like to proffer?”

Suddenly, Boggs began to scream. His screams matched those he heard again in his head. Locke’s screams had returned, tormenting him. He knew why. That final scream had been forever silenced in the report. The chaplain remained steadfast in his position next to him, knowing that Boggs had already pledged to cooperate. A minute later, he was calm again.

“Boggs, what else is tearing into you right now? Please speak to release the pain,” Curley pleaded.

“I hear the spy’s screams.”

“I imagine you do. The electric prod in the neck would undo anyone.”

“No, not the screams from that,” Boggs was now pale and white. Curley began to brace for the next information that she had assumed was coming. “His last scream, ma’am.”

“Boggs, what caused that last one?”

Boggs’ face scrunched in agony. He could no longer guard the terrible secrets of Cell 4. He looked up at Curley, defeated and unworthy. “The one where Harris stuck the electric prod up his ass and turned it on.“

Boggs suddenly saw the whole image again in his mind. Only this time, time stood still. The spy suddenly stood up, seemingly untouched and unharmed. He walked up to Boggs, still in the cell. He smiled.

_Thank you for doing this. Now my screams can die over time._

The spy was gone again in an instant.

Boggs suddenly looked around. The chaplain had somehow maintained composure. Curley and Jarvis both had looks of disgust that lacked the words to describe. Collins was simply weeping. He turned to the chaplain. “Father, I wish to submit a report about this morning. The truth. I won’t escape his presence until I do.”

The chaplain smiled. “But of course. The chaplains will always support you.”

Curley had finally collected herself. _The rumors never even got half as bad as that._ She turned to Boggs. “We will all help you write that report.” She touched her headset. “Slimak, General Curley. I am declaring an independent investigation into the matters involving our spy this morning. We have new information that the report submitted is false. I am sending over subpoenas soon for all of the names except Kelbesque. The first report involves Sergeant Boggs. We just finished it. You will receive it within ten.”

“General, this is Slimak. Acknowledged. What’s going on?”

“Just get the paperwork started. I’ll be right there.” She looked at Jarvis. “Your new mission is to protect Boggs this morning. He remains here. Next, you will continue to investigate Collins. I suspect he knows already how important it is that he speak truthfully.”

“Yes ma’am,” Jarvis replied. “But who is going to tell Lord Alma?”

Curley looked up at the clock. 0735. “I will once we have all of their statements. I can slide a memo into her paperwork that an investigation has commenced. That should suffice for now. The priority is that they be found and interrogated soon. I expect she will summon us before lunch.”

She then turned to Boggs. He clearly felt guilty for his words. “Boggs, listen to me. You may not realize or believe it, but everything I said earlier about you in this case still rings true. It took courage few people in the Order could ever hope to muster to come forward this morning. There are cracks in our great kingdom that we now have the ability to see because you were willing to set a beacon. I cannot guarantee you won’t escape some form of discipline, but I will see to it that Lord Alma understands that we wouldn’t be able to investigate this menace without your commitment to the idea of justice that our Lord constantly preaches as the best means forward. Pick up your sword. You represent its core values more than our head General.”

She then left the room. She would be at Slimak’s office in less than five minutes. She had no time to waste. This had to be resolved fast.


	28. Negotiations

At 0700, Lord Alma walked into the Conference Hall, as expected. She was flanked by a page and Vicelord Kinnick. They took their seats and each side paid their respects.

After a while of discussing smaller matters, the battle for the spy started. Celes and Kinnick were politely asked to stand to the side. They sat back to watch.

“Your Majesty, I hope this unexpected trip wasn’t for such small talk.”

“My Lord, these are the expectations for our positions.”

“Indeed. So what brings you out here? Some crisis in our kingdom needs attention?”

“You could say that. It actually relates to an incident from yesterday.”

“Explain in more detail, please.”

Edgar, leaned forward, ready to push the discourse to the side. “I have reason to believe you have one of my citizens in your jail.”

“Your Majesty, I have many people of the world in there,” Alma replied, her patented stare at her paperwork remaining. “Mostly mine.”

“I think this one tickles your fancy.”

“Criminals are a dime and a dozen, Your Majesty. One means as little as the next to me.”

“Criminals, sure, but since you place spies at a lower level-“ Edgar noticed that his diction had quickly caught Alma’s gaze to lift to him. “Than criminals, I imagine he had more of an impact on you than you’d care to admit.”

Alma’s suspicions had been confirmed surprisingly easy. “Seems strange to openly claim you are spying. That’s not your character.” She then leaned into him with her stare. “What’s your actual game here?”

“His return and nothing more.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Sure you do. Average height, silver hair, grey eyes, likes to wear blue. Compromised his disguise during an earthquake yesterday. Disabled two of your men in the sewers.”

Alma started to get angry. “I don’t appreciate conjecture.”

Edgar leaned back. “I imagine those orphans didn’t, either.”

Alma and Kinnick stood there in shock. This had to be the first time in history that a kingdom had openly declared that it had infiltrated another kingdom.

Alma decided to begin the press. “Very well, Your Majesty. Assuming a spy of yours did spin some tale like that from yesterday, I find it very strange that you’d confess it so quickly. After all, the implications of such a choice would give me much leverage over you.”

“Aye, it would. And I accept that. So let’s begin the negotiations.”

“Negotiations? Your Majesty, I doubt you are willing to dole out what I believe I am due with your espionage. The concept of ‘negotiation’ is flawed.”

“Not if I am willing to concede a lot to bring him home.”

“No, you are still mistaken,” she said, now smiling. “Without leverage, these will more or less be a list of demands that will amount to extortion.”

Edgar grumbled. “So let’s not waste any more time. Out with it.”

“Very well. One, if any people of mine whom you might falsely consider to be spies still exist in your kingdom’s jails, I’d very much like their release as well. Not for spying, of course. We are civil in the Kazen. Second, I will expect cooperation in the pacifying of the people in the Hornata Mountains. Third, I do not like your squadrons so close to Kohlingen. I expect them retreated by twenty miles no later than Friday. Fourth, I now expect you to convince the city of Nikeah to remove any tariffs and taxes for my citizens to travel and trade there. Fifth, and perhaps most important, I expect you to publicly announce to your kingdom how you placed their security at risk by attempting to lie in the mud with bottom feeding swine. That is all.”

Edgar chuckled. “Almost like you already knew what to ask for.”

“Prices for goods are fairly stable.”

“Aye, they are. I guess you did understand the intent of my message yesterday?”

“I won’t say either way or the other. In any sense, if you do come here with sincerity, then I ask you if my terms can be met.”

Edgar closed his eyes, knowing this was going to hurt a lot when he got back home. “I have one condition of you, My Lord.”

“Your Majesty, I do believe I told you that yours isn’t a position to negotiate?”

“There won’t be a position until I can confirm his safety.”

“Your Majesty, I assure you that no harm has come to any of my prisoners, unless you come here to take my two Utok soldiers. I imagine you’d be too late for them.”

“For such a price I would be willing to pay, you would bring him here to show us it’s not damaged goods.”

“Bottom feeders are inherently damaged. This one hasn’t suffered any more than that.”

Edgar kept his face of stone. “No proof, no concessions.”

Alma finally looked down. “Your argument is valid. I, however, cannot violate procedure and bring him up here. You’d have to take me on my word. You’d only be able to see him once we handed him over at the edge of the city into your custody.”

“Forgive me my concerns. Your track record with captured agents doesn’t leave me with much confidence. I risk being duped.”

“I acknowledge your concern. But it is not one to place weight in. I had no choice but to spare his life yesterday, lest the people of my city open up in rebellion against the military.”

“They tend to do that when threatened.”

“Yes, I see you heard about our General’s silly decree. His time out of command and volunteering in the Orphanage may not change him, but I take pride knowing he will suffer there.” All four chuckled at the thought. “But he had won the people well before that. His life could never be taken by me.”

“Hmm, guess he left that detail out.”

“Strange,” Alma replied. “It seemed all he could focus on at the end of the trial. Why he dropped it from his reports is yet another mystery of your spy.”

“What is?”

“Your Majesty, the reason we found him is not the earthquake itself. It destroyed a Government laboratory building. Your spy took it upon himself to go into the barely standing building and save a woman and child. Had he stuck to his training, we are not here today, neither are my two citizens, and I am none the wiser of his existence.”

Edgar leaned back, stunned. Celes had no clue how to react. She knew Alma wasn’t lying. Was she?

Kinnick spoke up. “Aye, it is true. Blue outfits and silver hair dye have become quite popular in the city overnight. His selflessness resonates well here in the city.”

That was good enough for Celes. “The public enjoys bravery and humility.”

“If it suits them,” Alma concluded. “So do we have a deal?”

“I will sign to it. However,” he looked at Alma, “if anything is wrong with him, then the conditions are forfeit.”

“It is fair. This means I must get some collateral now. What was your spy’s mission?”

Edgar knew he couldn’t lie now. “The data on your Extraction Project, and why you’ve suddenly seemed to take a military position in Hornata and potentially closer to my castle.”

Alma suddenly had an angry look in her eye. “You are foolish to think I intend to possess all of the Nether Stones.”

“Your military aggression suggests otherwise.”

“Really? Did your spy alert you to where we picked up our information?”

“Yes, Utok.”

Alma closed her eyes. She decided to put Edgar at ease. She knew she needed him as an ally here. “Did your spy inform you that Utok already possesses one?”

Edgar look stunned. “No, he didn’t.”

Alma suddenly looked worried. Celes and Edgar recognized it as genuine. “Their ambition is very clear. They intend to break the political stalemate with Diabolos.”

“Is it possible?”

“So far, all intelligence is based off fantasy lore and the discovery of the Stone. We have reports that it does in fact exist and is in their possession. I don’t believe that magic could still exist, but claiming one stone is enough to stop them from being able to prove the world wrong.”

“And Hornata is the closest one you can claim without engaging Utok.”

“Correct.”

“My Lord, I will do as promised. I will help you in Hornata. I will also inform you if I discover anything in our mountains. As much as we have embarrassed ourselves as a kingdom today, I’d very much like to let you know that Diabolos shall remain a myth by our procuring a Nether Stone.”

Alma smiled. “Your spy certainly causes strange things to happen. It breaks my routines. I shall be happy to see him go. It should take roughly two hours for all administration to be complete. The terms of our agreement will show up much sooner than that. I will not return to sign until I am able to release him.” Then Alma was handed a memo from her page. She stood up. She looked at the clock. 0756. “You may wait in the Gathering Hall until my page summons you for your signature.” They shook, informally agreeing to the conditions.

Edgar couldn’t help himself but wonder. “You are making this a lot easier than I anticipated.”

“Guess I’ve changed. In any event, I’ve won plenty from his escapade. Now I have a standard on deals with your spies.”

Edgar began to chuckle. Alma now stared. “Explain the humor.”

“I will have no more spies. The expectation will be short-lived.”

“Your Majesty, as sincere as you think you are now, and believe me, you do sound it, I know you eventually will return to this lifestyle. Life feeds on life. The world spins.”

“Maybe so,” Edgar replied, “but he won’t. And that’s good enough for me.”

 

Once outside, Alma turned abruptly toward the Military offices. Kinnick knew this was not her normal path. “My Lord, what is up?”

“A military investigation. Just started. I want details.”

“Interesting. Then I shall follow. Investigation Division offices are along the same path.”

It was now 0800. What had happened that morning was still waiting to shock the pair.


	29. Defiance

“Anything yet?”

“Not yet. Give him 3 cc’s more. Stand by for defibrillator. Clear!”

Suddenly, Locke was breathing again. His heartbeat had returned.

“Sweet gods, we can’t save him if he remains here much longer.”

The jail cell was still bustling with medical activity. In the jail cell, the time was now 0725. Medics were now traversing the room in synchronicity and without wasting purpose. Locke had finally been released from the shackles and had been shifted to his back. That ordeal had actually caused him to come into consciousness just enough to scream and shake at the intense pain his body still radiated. Luckily, the sedatives were doing their job. But they knew that time was against them. He needed to stabilize fast so that they could get him to Intensive Care and hopefully into emergency surgery.

Oshier remained the Lead Medic for the emergency. He kept waiting for the report that they believed the spy was able to survive the surgery. There would be no reason to perform it if he was too weak to handle it. He had begun to doubt he would save this life. Suddenly, his headset beeped. “Oshier here.”

“Oshier, it’s Nutsy! I hear you need a surgeon this morning?”

“Sorry Nussbaum. I’m not sure patient can handle it. Already coded twice in here while we’ve been working. We’ll let you know.”

“Oshier, stop being silly. We both know if the damage matches previous cases, nothing you can do to stop the internal bleeding. That’s my job.”

“Nutsy, we can’t authorize that!”

“Actually, yes I can. I’m bored anyways. Remember, we both know it’s his only real chance.”

Oshier sighed. He knew the surgeon was right and also had authority. “Understood. We’ll begin transport.” He then stunned the medics with his order to get the spy onto the gurney.

 

Eight minutes later, NUSSBAUM, GREGORY began his assessment of the near lifeless body. “Fascinating,” he said as he performed his examination. “I can’t figure out what happened or what helped him survive. He’s still ticking, though. Stephens, is the ether ready?”

The anesthesiologist nodded. “He will be out almost four hours from it. Waking up is going to have paranoia induction.”

“That means he wakes up. Get his mind and soul to sleep. His body belongs to me now!”

The ether was administered. Locke’s breathing now stopped. Only his faint heartbeat remained. The rest was up to the surgeon they called Nutsy.

He began his evaluation. Despite his nickname, he was strictly professional with a patient on the table. He still retained his weird sense of humor, however.

After almost thirty minutes, Nutsy was done with both external and internal evaluation. The data taker had recorded everything he had said, and the report was now to be transported to Lord Alma. The medic responsible grumbled about his selection and ran off.

Nutsy now took a moment to breathe. What he had concluded both disturbed and fascinated him. _Evidence of object penetrating through right foot. Evidence of cauterizing. Two different electric shocks. One internal, one external. Internal shock most likely involving sodomy due to condition of intestines._ He then pondered if there was any chance someone else had been forced to diagnose something like this.

It was of little consequence. With his evaluation, he had determined that the spy could still survive, but a lot of luck now lay within the spy’s resolve and the scalpel and tiny torch he would be using for the next several hours.

 

Alma entered Curley’s office with little to no warning. Sergeant Harris was in there, slightly confused. He had just finished his argument on how his true actions that morning weren’t nearly half as bad as Curley had insisted they were. The investigations were now nearly over. Collins had finally acknowledged the truth sobbing like a baby. Harris had no qualms with bragging about his role. Swan and Powell refuted the new accusations initially, but eventually realized that Harris would proudly sing like he had just done. Curley and Slimak were discussing how the report should be laid out. They both immediately swung around and touched their left shoulders. “My Lord!” they spoke in unison.

Alma raised her right hand. “No formalities. I come here in regard to your memo.”

“Yes, my Lord. Investigation is nearing completion. The report shall be ready within ten. I apologize for interrupting your meeting with Figaro.”

“As irritating as it is, I commend your willingness not to leave me blindsided.”

Curley nodded. She knew Alma would remember saying that later, and not at a great time. “We will be ready to present results as soon as you need us… the hell?”

Now into her office marched a medic and the Senior Medical Director. He was responsible for relaying information on medical cases to Lord Alma. He was clearly bothered by the report his medics had prepared for him. He touched his left shoulder. “My Lord, I apologize, but I bring notice from this morning’s medical emergencies.”

Alma shrugged. “Two dead Utok soldiers hardly constitute an emergency.”

“My Lord? Those reports aren’t from them, they’re from the survivor.”

Alma suddenly glared at him. “What do you mean, ‘survivor?’ What have you been keeping from me this morning?”

The Senior Medical Director looked at Curley’s clock. 0812. She hadn’t found out about the political prisoner’s fate yet? He winced. She was probably going to kill him right there. “My Lord, I apologize in advance that this report took almost an hour to get to you. Dr. Nussbaum just finished an evaluation. We should’ve gotten you preliminary-“

“Get to the point!” Alma barked, her frustration mounting.

“Yes My Lord. Around 0700, our touring medic found the spy from yesterday in a near-dead state in his jail cell. Evidence suggests electrocution, blunt force… My Lord?”

Alma was still reeling from what she had just been told. _This cannot be happening._ She already knew there was a connection to the investigation Curley had started. She couldn’t believe that she had been kept out of the loop as long as she had been that morning. A little while ago, she had flaunted her superiority over Edgar. Now, she no longer held such height. Further, she suspected that this was going to go much worse for her. Finally, she shouted and terrified everyone in that office, Harris included.

“Superiors meeting! Conference Hall! Ten minutes time! Curley, you will be there for Military! If you all value continuing to work for me, I expect there won’t be delays!”

 

At 0822, Alma took her seat. In front of her lay the parties she expected. Toth had been the first to show. Curley had shown up with Jarvis by her side. The Senior Medical Director, BAUER, ROSCOE, also sat there with Oshier. Kinnick was flanked by Slimak. Numerous pages surrounded all of the key players. She looked at them with disgust. She did not appreciate news of her kingdom’s immoral deeds being presented in such fashion.

“Let us begin. I’m none too pleased and wish to be enlightened on this morning’s events. Assume now that I know nothing of what happened. That alone should hopefully remind you how angry I am. Medical, you shall go first. Report on the spy.”

Bauer stood up. “My Lord, based off medical evaluation and observation, the patient has suffered extreme trauma both internal and external. Evidence of puncture wound to the foot. Evidence of electrocution. Evidence of sodomy and electrocution at the same time.”

Lord Alma began to stew. “His current status?”

“Dr. Nussbaum has him in emergency surgery in Intensive Care Ward. He is unsure if the patient will survive, or if he will be able to survive much longer. The damage is quite severe.”

“Was he conscious when found?”

Oshier stood up, “My Lord, I found the patient in the cell. I assumed he was dead, much like the few other bodies I have found in spy cells. He was not conscious. He temporarily came to once or twice, but we sedated him. The pain he was feeling would’ve killed him otherwise.”

“Anything else?”

“My Lord, he coded twice thus far. I apologize, I don’t know if we have the capability to keep him alive.”

“You will continue to do your best. The cause of damage disturbs me. I pray your conjecture is not accurate.”

“Unfortunately, My Lord, statements corroborate what Medical says,” Slimak said, now standing. “The second report from this incident confirms that the spy was subjected to up to Phase 4 treatment, with more added to the end as previously noted.”

“And what caused him to endure this?”

“Initial report was that he attacked General Kelbesque, My Lord.”

“Then I no longer care. The spy made his bed and can now sleep in it.”

“My Lord,” Curley said as she stood, “it is important to understand that the initial report makes this claim.”

Alma’s anger was now near criticality. She sensed the truth. “Continue, General.”

Curley took a breath with anticipation. “Our second investigation provided information from the men in the cell that the spy never attacked or threatened a member of the Kazen this morning. The first report was falsified.”

Alma’s blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the Conference Hall. Everyone froze. She finally collected herself. “I see, so this is what my leaders now propagate in my Order? Just throw the rules of discipline and law to the side so they can have blood orgies and lie to me about it? Is that what your intentions are? Dis-Order? Answer me now!”

Everyone remained frozen. Alma regained some composure. “General, find me those men who decided to stain the Kazen this morning. There will not be anything left of them once I hand judgment out this afternoon!”

“My Lord, I apologize,” Curley replied. She had found her voice. She had also found her willingness to stand firm on her principles. “I will not allow that.”

The room stared in horror. She had openly defied Alma. To them, it now felt like the Military was actually declaring open mutiny. Alma felt the same way. “General, I strongly advise you not to continue down this course against my orders. If you all dare to try and splinter my kingdom, you will fail.”

“With all due respect, My Lord, I have no intention of usurping anything today.”

“Your words prove otherwise!”

“Your emotions foil your logic. Please, My Lord, allow me a few moments to explain.”

Alma was still furious, but she took her normal posture. “You’d better damn well impress me.”

Curley took another breath. “My Lord, I won’t lie. I understand why you are mad with us in keeping this situation from you for so long. I also understand why you now look at me with no trust in your eyes. I simply ask for now that your look be aimed at the uniform and not me.”

“I will do my best, but that depends on what you say.”

“Very well, My Lord. The reason I will not allow the entire group to go to Tribunal today is that one of them is not mentally fit to do so. His name is Sergeant Adam Boggs. He tried to resign this morning based off what he saw in that cell. He no longer believes the Order stands for the same values you do. He remains haunted by the sounds, sights, and smells he was forced to experience. He finally found some relief in Commander Jarvis’ office when he confessed to the first report he signed being false.”

“Complicit in war crimes against the Order and he decides to try and cut and run. Then he decides to sing like a canary? You sound loony, General.”

“Perhaps, My Lord, but Commander Jarvis will attest to what I say. It is tough for any of us to comprehend what he experienced in that cell, given that it went against every fiber in his soul. Unlike his counterparts, he refused to hide this. He stepped up and chose not to take the wrong path and has openly accepted all of the consequences, good and bad, of speaking up. Given the intense pressure he felt to stay silent, you should feel very lucky today.”

“Lucky?” Alma howled. “Lucky that my Military Division lies to me?”

“Yes. Lucky that Sergeant Boggs agreed to a jail tour he never wanted in the first place to help another soldier in need. Without that, we might not know this corruption existed.”

“General, you may view him as a saint, but saints do not shame the Order with their actions.”

“Maybe so, My Lord, but I maintain my position. Nothing bad shall come to him.”

“General Kelbesque will ensure his trial position this afternoon, then.” Alma was now incensed again. Curley was actively shaking her head. “General, do I make you laugh?”

“My Lord, you must not have read the reports yet. General Kelbesque led the torture party.”

Another primal scream by Alma. Everyone was now on edge except Curley. She suddenly felt quite confident in herself.

Then Alma snapped. “Give me the damn reports!” After reviewing them for several minutes, she began to calm. “Vicelord, send Investigation to arrest General Kelbesque and the other soldiers mentioned in this report.”

“Yes My Lord,” he replied, taking the report and handing it to Slimak. “This is your case. You may do the honors.” As he spoke, he gestured to Boggs’ name and wagged his finger in dissent. Slimak smiled, saluted, and exited the room.

“My Lord, I request the honor of being there to oversee his arrest,” Curley announced.

“No chance. Military arresting military will only draw more lines.”

“Understood, My Lord. But I still stand on the position that I will not allow Sergeant Boggs to stand trial for the same crimes as the rest of them.”

“That is my decision, not yours! His fate is sealed!” Alma barked angrily.

“Then, My Lord, I have no choice but to return my Crimson Blade!” Curley touched her right shoulder and drew her sword. She held it in front of a now stunned Alma. “I will no longer serve away from my family when My Lord refuses to serve hers!” she shouted angrily.

Alma groaned. “What are you doing?”

“You know what I am doing, My Lord.”

“Well, I hope you’ve trained Commander Jarvis well enough to be your replacement!”

Suddenly, she stared further in shock at Jarvis. Curley had inspired him yet again. His feeling on spies aside, he knew Curley was right. The spy didn’t deserve this, and Boggs was not the man Alma assumed he was. Now he was touching his right shoulder and held his sword to Alma. “Sorry, My Lord, but if the General can’t get you to see reason, I’ve no chance.”

Curley turned to Jarvis, almost crying tears of joy. She then turned back. “My Lord, until you push back the anger to see reason, you will lose the last of the goodness the Military holds.”

Alma grumbled and sulked. Curley was absolutely right. She began to feel remorse for her anger toward her Lieutenant General. She knew her anger at Boggs had to dissipate for the sake of the kingdom. Anger at his actions would only prevent others from speaking out against the injustices she believed had started to ruin the Order.

“General, I apologize. I have been out of line.”

“My Lord, you need not apologize. I took a big chance with my tone. This has frustrated us all.”

“My position in the kingdom does not permit moments of weakness such as this. You will understand soon enough, General.”

“My Lord, if you would, I’d prefer being called Lieutenant General during this resignation. Kelbesque has destroyed the moniker in my eyes.”

“I understand the confusion. It is now your responsibility to repair the damage and make the title shine again. Stand before me and render honors, my new General.”

Curley stood there in shock, not moving. Had she just heard Alma correctly? Then, she heard Jarvis clapping. The clapping became a thunderous ovation. Curley refused to fight back tears this time. She knew her duties were going to become exponentially more difficult, and releasing emotion now would best help her cope with the new stresses. He sheathed her Crimson Blade and stood tall, now touching her left shoulder. She bowed her head and closed her eyes.

“Alicia Curley, today I bestow upon you, witnessed by Military officials and the People’s Chairman, the title of General. Military Division is now yours to run. Right now, we need to return to a proper course. You’d best not fail me.” She drew her Crimson Blade and touched Curley’s hand on her left shoulder. “In this connection, the title is transferred.”

Curley smiled. “With a heavy and humbled heart, I will immediately start to fix my broken Division. Commander Jarvis, step forward. New Narshe needs a new Lieutenant General, and you seem game.”

His ceremony was filled with just as much celebration. Once completed, Alma looked at Curley. “General, you will follow me now to my next destination. We will depart after but one more order of business.” She turned and whispered orders to her page, who nodded and quickly left.

“My Lord, I do humbly request some time to explain to my chain the changes now made.”

“In due time. Priorities are priorities. I trust your men and women are trained well enough in your leadership style to be able to handle a day without a master.” She then stood up again. “Esteemed members of the Order, today has brought to me an inescapable truth. We no longer gain a favorable position in anything with the ability to torture. My page has gone off to prepare a new decree that will forever outlaw the practices of torture in our kingdom. Further, I shall abolish the death penalty as well. I grow tired of either’s use when all it does it make us stray further from the path of righteousness and moral superiority over our enemies. At 0700 tomorrow, the decree shall be signed at our morning meeting.”

If it could be possible, the applause topped that of the Military’s promotions.

“That is all. Vicelord, alert Investigation that I expect Military Tribunal for all involved with the exception of Sergeant Boggs at 1600. Supreme Magistrate, get your Magistrates ready to present.” Kinnick and Toth touched their left shoulders, smiling, and ran off. Then Alma turned to Curley. “Give Lieutenant General Jarvis orders on your behalf. I expect reports on Sergeant Boggs’ condition. Dr. Bauer, even if the report says ‘no change in condition,’ I expect reports every hour on the spy’s condition and whenever major changes develop.” She returned to Curley. “It’s time, General. Follow me.”

“Yes, My Lord, but where are we going?”

“To see the King of Figaro. We are telling him about his spy’s condition.”

Curley nodded. “You don’t expect to need my protection, do you?”

“Not at all. But you are a lot more rational and more knowledgeable on the situation. And at least he will know I now have someone worthy of being a General leading Military Division.”

“I see. I would recommend Vicelord Kinnick be there as well.”

“His duties lie elsewhere.”

“I agree; however, his gentle nature will provide a more sympathetic and empathetic mood. He will speak truthfully on how our people are going to go nuts once the gossip feed escapes. Only gods know what will happen in the streets if that spy dies by our hands.”

Alma nodded. “Summon him then. We meet outside the Gathering Hall in five.”

Curley had already tapped her headset. “Aye, My Lord. Kinnick, this is Curley. Please stop on the ‘General’ thing right now. You are summoned by Lord Alma to meet us outside the Gathering Hall in four minutes. Acknowledged. We will see you there.”

The two began to walk. Alma knew she was uncomfortable with what was about to unfold.

The three met. It was now 0912. Edgar would be expecting her later. He would know something was wrong. Alma shrugged. _Always better to rip a band aid clean off._


	30. Collapse

“When you see it written down, codified, it just feels different. I still have no objections, Celes.”

“I know. Just stop fidgeting right now. It’s driving me crazy!”

The two shuffled around the Gathering Hall. It had been over an hour thus far. The contract had been presented at 0824. Edgar had signed it by 0826. Since then, the only other communication presented to Celes and Edgar had been the routine requests by pages for any food or drink. Neither felt too hungry, and water would suffice. The minutes and seconds were ticking away slower and without remorse for their tensions. Jokes had held their insanity in check at the start, but now anticipation had begun to release it slowly.

“I apologize. I just cannot fathom standing in here for another hour or possibly more.”

“Neither can I. But we’ve no choice to see this through, Edgar.”

“Well, I don’t have the training you do to be this patient.”

“That definitely isn’t it. I’ve just been trained to hide the craziness better. Some of it is Imperial, but some of it is being a woman.”

Edgar laughed at that. “And I thought women were supposed to be more emotional.”

“We are. We also are more skilled at showing it at the right times.” She winked.

Both laughed. They needed it.

Suddenly, the door opened. In came Alma, Kinnick, and a woman they didn’t recognize. Her nametag was CURLEY, ALICIA, and she wore a Military Office uniform. Honors were presented on all sides.

“General Alicia Curley. It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty and Vice Chancellor.”

“The honor is ours.”

“It is a new appointment,” Alma said while looking over the contract. “Fifteen minutes new.”

“Congratulations.” Edgar said. “Are you assisting General Kelbesque, I take it?”

“Actually, Your Majesty, I now hold his position.”

Edgar looked confused. “Quite an abrupt change.”

Alma interrupted. “I had no choice this morning.” She looked up from the contract. “Your Majesty, do you fully understand every concession you have agreed to make to me?”

“Aye, My Lord.”

“And you still assert you do so with no remorse?”

“Aye, My Lord. I just want my friend back.”

Alma cringed at the word ‘friend.’ She then stunned the room by tearing up the contract in front of everyone. “This will no longer do.”

Celes was shocked, but even more so at what Edgar’s face had become. He had only looked angrier at Kingsley in her house. “Edgar, please calm down.”

“Are you kidding me, Celes? She has just wasted time with her fun little games of toying with us.” He sneered at her. “You disgust me.”

“I’d watch your tongue right now. We simply cannot do a deal now.”

“Oh? Decided to test the waters instead? Figaro will not look highly on this.”

“I wasn’t aware that mattered given this morning’s circumstances.”

“Impudent wretch!”

“Your Majesty, please, I beg you, please stand down!” Now the room was focused on Curley, who was clearly frightened. “I apologize, I know little of what that paper said, but I’m sure there are good reasons for what she did.”

“General, now is not the time to make a bad first impression with me.”

“Silence,” Alma blurted out. “General, I tore up the list of demands I had made to release the spy into their custody. There will be none. Does this make sense now?”

Curley nodded, suddenly feeling a chill. “It does, my Lord.”

“Good. Now continue to speak. Your Majesty, I warmed to your Vice Chancellor. I assure you the same will happen with the General. Continue. You are the expert on the matters now.”

“Aye, my Lord.” Curley cleared her throat. Perhaps she would need to shield Alma from Edgar. “As I was saying, I now fully understand my Lord’s decision. It is not a reworking of the deal. We simply ask of nothing to exchange hands.”

“Then what might it be that I no longer get him back?” Edgar hissed.

“Your Majesty,” Kinnick spoke, clearly full of sorrow, “we cannot do the deal because we cannot release him to you.”

Edgar walked away from the group cursing. Celes stood. “My Lord, Vicelord, General, please forgive him. You can understand his frustration at failed negotiations. We do expect something to explain why you now won’t release him.”

“Vice Chancellor,” Curley said, “Vicelord Kinnick didn’t misspeak.” Her voice was now sullen and trailing off as she struggled to deliver the bad news, and it began to unnerve Celes.

“I don’t understand, General.”

“Please just rip the band aid off,” Alma ordered.

“Very well.” Curley stared at Celes and Edgar, a tear in her eye forming. “It’s not a matter of ‘will not’ release him. We cannot release him. There has been a situation this morning.”

Edgar suddenly ran up. “What do you mean, situation?”

“I have our reports coming within five. You can read the details then,” Kinnick answered as he lowered his head. “Your spy was subjected to unauthorized torture this morning, the result of which has left him in Intensive Care and most likely unable to survive the morning.”

 

It took a few moments for the confession to crush Celes. At once, she began screaming, flailing, pulling her hair, and finally falling to the ground in the fetal position, whimpering.

Curley and Kinnick immediately ran over to check on her. Curley had assumed the reaction stemmed from some PTSD formed by the hands of the Empire. Kinnick, however, realized the connection she shared with him. That spy was her lost love. And now she knew what was to be. He was probably lost forever. He instinctually cradled her, trying to soothe her with assurances that he still was fighting for his life.

Suddenly, Celes shifted and held Kinnick tight, crying into his tunic. He held her close, rubbing her right shoulder. He felt her heart unraveling, yet he remained steadfast. She needed all the support the world could give her. Finally, he helped her shift to Curley, who continued to hold her. He knew she would be able to connect to her better right now.

Edgar, however, still seemed stuck in shock. He finally recovered, and began to tremble. “Lord Alma, that cannot be true, can it?”

Alma looked on with remorse and pain. “It is. General Kelbesque will be standing trial for crimes against the Order today.”

Edgar looked like a zombie. “I see.”

“Your Majesty, look at me.” Alma now saw his eyes. “The only goal now is to continue to treat him. Once he has healed, he will be yours. No strings. We do not hold any position to try and pull them.”

Edgar started to come back to reality, piecing together information. “That is why she is now General?”

“Aye, My Lord,” Curley responded, still looking at Celes and tending to her. “I found the discrepancies in the piece of shit’s report and immediately escalated the investigation. It was the least we could do for him.”

“You suddenly try and make him a friend of yours?” Edgar howled.

“No, Your Majesty. But people do not deserve injustices. Good people deserve to be rewarded for their selflessness.” She turned to Celes, who was now looking at her through tears. Curley had finally figured out the relationship she shared with the spy. “Despite the spy vitriol, he is a good man at heart. Those of us who got to investigate his case all felt that goodness. Our people still feel that. He may as well be one of them now. He pointed out the disturbing intentions of Kelbesque and had to have known full well what Kelbesque was capable of after being shamed. He acted to preserve order and humanity when pressed with the choice to remain invisible. That is why the least we can do is give him the chance he deserves to get through this harrowing ordeal. He’s at death’s door right now, but our doctors are stopping him from going further.” She touched Celes’ cheek. “We won’t let him die. You will get him back.”

Celes was too emotional to fully understand how much she respected and admired Curley after that speech. The emotion still caught up to her. “You’ve no clue if he’ll make it. Stop telling me he will when you can’t guarantee it!”

“Aye, Vice Chancellor. I will temper my optimism to help you cope.” She hugged Celes. “But I will also maintain that optimism. On that I will not waiver.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Given his trajectory in the past day or so, I’d say he has gotten pretty good at cheating death. Given what he survived thus far, I bet it’d take a lot more to finally stop his heart.”

Celes began to calm down. She looked at Edgar. “Edgar, with your permission, I’d like to remain here until his fate is determined.”

Edgar looked worried. “Celes, are you sure that you can handle this?”

“I don’t care about that. I’m not leaving here without holding him in my arms or carrying his coffin.”

“Then I will require at least one person be with you at all times from the kingdom or our friends.” He turned to Alma. “I trust there are no objections?”

“None. She will use the Executive Suite at the New Narshe Grande Hotel. She can use it as long as she desires. I simply request to know who will be with her and for what times.”

“Done. I will summon the Queen for the first couple of days.”

“It is settled.”

Then, the doors opened. The reports were now there. Alma looked concerned. “I do warn you of the graphic nature of the medical report and investigation results.” She looked at Celes. “I will not stop her from viewing them, but my concerns are now stated.”

Celes had already started to walk up to them. Curley followed, ready for anything.

Celes and Edgar read through the reports. Edgar’s esophagus burned with a surge of bile when he read the new investigation results. Boggs’ recollection of the morning’s events left little to the imagination. It had clearly scarred him too. He began to shake violently, cursing himself. _My gods, how can this be true? What have I done? How did my actions lead my friend to be forced to go through this? Can anyone forgive me?_

Celes turned pale. Then she collapsed. The emotional toll of the last day had finally caught up to her in the words Boggs had written. She woke up ten minutes later, supported by medics on both sides.

One medic worked with his normal precision. She hadn’t suffered much in terms of physical trauma. His nametag read OSHIER, JOSHUA. He was in battlefield mode now. This was also a much easier assignment than earlier.


	31. Death

It had been over an hour since Celes and Edgar had been hit with the unbelievable news. Celes was now more alert but was still shaking. Terra had been summoned and would be there within two hours. Edgar would remain until then. Reports to Alma had mentioned no real change in condition, but Nutsy had also concluded his first surgery, and Locke had survived it. In his experience, that was definitely a good sign. There was still much to do. Locke would be under the knife at least twice more that day if possible. There was still internal hemorrhaging that threatened to undo the work he had already accomplished. Celes, Edgar, and Alma had all sent him best wishes to continue.

By now, most of the people involved knew his name. Locke Cole. One medic with family ties to Narshe had recalled the name before when discussing treasure hunting. He was now becoming more human to them as they worked feverishly to keep his vital signs stable. His deeds now had more of a personal touch to them. He had stopped being a phantom in New Narshe.

Finally, Terra arrived. She exchanged pleasantries with Alma, Kinnick, and Curley. She and Celes then spoke in private for roughly ten minutes. After, they emerged and requested to head to the hotel. Curley and Kinnick both escorted them.

Curley hugged Celes one last time, and she bowed to Terra. “If you need anything, do not hesitate to contact me or Vicelord Kinnick. It isn’t enough to make up your loss and pain, but we will do what we can no matter how small.”

“General, please do not worry. We know you will do everything you can for him and for us,” Terra replied, smiling.

 

Now it was just the two old friends from the Empire.

“Celes, whatever you’d like to do, please let me know!”

“Terra, I think I’d like to stay in for now. Just talk. Anything to get my mind off of today.” Celes saw Terra’s smile and tried to match it.

“I haven’t been able to talk with you in quite some time. I’d love to!” She sighed. “Edgar has had all the fun.”

Celes grumbled, recalling Edgar’s earlier comment. “What’s wrong?” Terra asked.

“Nothing, nothing.”

The two talked for hours, enjoying the perks of a suite dedicated to only the most important who visited New Narshe. They broke for dinner soon afterward. A small family owned restaurant next to the hotel was the choice. They chuckled as the husband panicked at serving the Queen and not knowing much in terms of customs. He sweat harder as he saw the extra gratuity attached by Terra. From there, the two found several local clothing stores and found Celes a week’s worth of new outfits. Terra insisted on more, but Celes didn’t mind reusing them while she stayed. Her training had warded her from a large wardrobe, deeming it unnecessary.

Back at the hotel, the two opened up a bottle of wine Terra had brought. They relaxed in the grandiose chairs in their temporary decadent living room. Celes started to stare off, trying to see him. Terra smiled and comforted her friend. “I’m sure they’re doing everything they can. Lord Alma put a lot of capital into improving medical sciences and health care. It means a lot to her.”

“I’m sure they are,” Celes sighed. “Yet here I sit, unable to do anything.” She stood up and walked to the window, staring at the New Narshe skyline. “I’ve spent most of my childhood and adult life with the ability to at least do something to help those that I cared for. I can’t do that right now, though. It makes me feel horrible.”

“Thoughts and prayers are something, Celes.”

“I never took you for someone who would be religious.”

“I didn’t think you need religion to pray.”

“Maybe so, but I feel helpless. I can’t do anything for him.”

“You already have done so much for him, I think,” Terra countered.

“How so?”

“By keeping him in your heart.”

Celes looked down to her chest thoughtfully. “He’ll always have a place there. I just hope he knows that.”

“I bet he does,” Terra said. She was now standing next to Celes. “Edgar told me of the ugliness. Our doctors said his survival thus far is nothing short of a miracle.” She now looked at Celes’ left breast. “That heart of yours somehow helped his maintain its strength.”

“Terra, your fascination with our love is getting crazier.”

“Celes, it’s not crazy to hope for your friends to love again.”

“After hearing him again, I know the love never ended. Love was never the problem.” Celes sighed. “The problem was something much more tricky.”

Terra looked at her. “Work.”

“No, not even that. It was communication. We always struggled with it. We hated arguing with each other and never really admitted how much our lives had begun to challenge us. I always worried that if we began to shout, we’d end up like many others we saw who never seemed to enjoy each other’s company. At least they never had to hide intentions or feelings.”

“Celes, you’ve always communicated well with pretty much everyone we know!”

“Yeah, well, for some reason I’ve always struggled with Locke. I envy you, Terra. You’d make friends with allosaurs!”

Terra giggled. “Thanks, but Edgar is difficult enough for me. Another dinosaur in the castle? No thanks! That’s probably one of the things I love about him most. I can speak my mind and know he won’t hesitate to follow.” She looked at Celes again. “Please don’t worry too much about it. I know you. You won’t let yourself make the same mistakes again. And if he objects-“

“You’ll box his ears.”

“This time, my hands will have Royal authority!”

“Terra, sometimes I forget you are the Queen of Figaro.”

“It’s okay, I just know when I absolutely have to play the game.”

There was a knock at the door, like each of the previous hours. By now, Celes had learned to control her emotion when concierge showed up to update her. She was handed another piece of paper and returned to the living room. She read. She began to smile a little bit. “Third surgery was successful, and he is still with us.” She looked at the clock. It was now almost eleven. “They really meant it when they said they’d work around the clock on him.”

“Doctors and medics have an oath to protect just like soldiers.”

“Terra, I think I am going to lie down. The wine has finally done its job. Night, Terra.”

Terra hugged her friend. “Good night! Let me know if you need anything!”

 

Celes knew it would be difficult to sleep. The anticipation of hearing news throughout the night terrified her. They would only wake her if it was the news she was still too scared to believe could be true. She tossed and turned, trying anything to not think about what she had read and what she had heard. Finally, she closed her eyes.

_Locke, please hear my prayers. Please keep fighting. Continue to show your strength and love to the world. The world needs you. I want you back more than anything else. Please keep pushing forward. I will be waiting for you soon._

In the morning, she woke with a smile. Something seemed brighter in the day. It was probably the lack of notification throughout the night. Still, she and Terra sat out in the living room when the expected knock on the door arrived at seven. The shock occurred when it was Curley at the door. Seeing her filled Celes with dread. At least they had the decency to send her over to deliver the bad news.

Celes then realized she was smiling. It couldn’t be bad news.

 

Kelbesque’s tribunal went about as expected. He was found guilty of violating orders of Lord Alma and sentenced to life in prison, to hold the same cell that Locke had been forced to take. He sneered in defiance when Lord Alma had relished in forcing him to endure an Order where capital punishment would no longer exist. Now, he was chained against the wall, attempting to sleep like Locke had. All he could think about was how he might be able to find Sergeant Boggs at some point and find out how much pain he could endure.

None of the rest of the crew that day had escaped unscathed. Collins, Swan, and Powell each faced long sentences themselves in prison. Harris received a lifetime sentence as well, and still held his confused expression during the sentencing.

Boggs received only a demerit for falsifying a report. Later, in Curley’s office, he was bestowed the Crimson Merit Award, the second highest decoration an Enlisted man could receive and the highest a living one could earn.

Now, it was morning, and Kelbesque had barely slept. He then heard the door open. Two orderlies moved into the room. He squinted into the shadows and quickly made out a familiar profile.

It was Lord Alma. Her face betrayed no emotion or intention. She simply stared at him, studying the man she had once entrusted her Military to.

“My Lord, what an unexpected visit.”

“It should never have had to come to this.”

“My Lord, I protected our realm to the best of my abilities. The soft and weak, I guess, were just too strong with their ideas. I weep for what our kingdom has become.”

“General, I am ashamed you haven’t been able to adapt. It’s been a true waste of talent.”

“So why have you come here, My Lord?”

“Well, I certainly couldn’t let my sympathies be known in that tribunal.”

Kelbesque smiled. “I see. Well, I suppose that makes sense given your responsibilities.”

“General, in a little over half an hour, your means to our ends disappears forever in the kingdom. No longer can we choose to just end life as we see fit. How does that make you feel?”

“My Lord, I think it is weakness.” He smiled. “But I suppose I could find ways to continue to aid the kingdom in my own little way.” He chuckled.

Then, he suddenly felt an intense, sharp pain in his chest. He looked down, shocked to see Alma’s Crimson Blade driven straight into his chest where his heart resided. The motion was fluid, precise, and without hesitation. She quickly removed the blade and resheathed it. The strike lasted but three seconds. She never moved a muscle in her face and never demonstrated any expression other than her normal one. He quickly went silent, his shocked face frozen forever in time.

She silently walked out of the jail cell as the orderly called for Medical. She then began preparations for signing the executive order to end the practice of capital punishment in all forms. She had calculated it well, in her eyes. She had set the right time and the pieces had all fallen into place. She had discovered the source of pestilence that threatened her Order, and it was only right that she see to its defeat.


	32. A New Morning

“Sweet gods, he’s like nothing we’ve ever seen! Guy can take a lot of abuse. I dare begin to think that he may actually live through this!”

“Nutsy, please don’t get cocky here. His life is in your hands again.”

“Fourth time in two days, in fact. Doesn’t seem right to keep making him suffer trauma. Ah well, such is the medical field. Ah, there you are!”

And with that, Nutsy brought his microtorch to the hemorrhaging tissue located near Locke’s right lung. Perfect precision allowed him to suture the opening without aggravating the vital organ. Nutsy smiled. He was now one tiny step closer to recovery.

Locke had pretty much been in a forced deep sleep since he had been discovered by Oshier. His body had just finished enduring a fourth emergency surgery in twenty-four hours, unheard of in the medical field. Yet his vitals remained unnaturally stable. Even throughout the night, the only fits caused were the effects of the wrong dosage of ether, causing Locke to begin to scream for a few moments before being overtaken by a new drug-induced stupor. His bed was being monitored at all times, the normal protocol for having landed in Intensive Care.

“Might go back in there again twice more if he keeps letting me!” Nutsy chuckled.

“Still pretty disturbing, Nutsy,” his assistant growled.

“We’ll allow that slight disturbance to be the force that lets me push the boundaries of modern medicine. Thus far, I have to have the record for keeping a patient alive with such injuries! Can’t just let that fall to the wayside now!”

The assistant groaned. He didn’t want to have to be part of more surgeries that day. Still, he had come to accept Nutsy’s eccentric touch as inevitable and very effective at treating pretty much anything. “Of course, doctor. Keep going. Almost eight now. Given the last hour and a half, that means a lot more than two surgeries are possible for you.”

 

There hadn’t been much of a change in Locke’s condition overnight, but after what Curley had witnessed in the Gathering Hall, she believed she had to present a report to Celes personally at least once each day. As much as she still just assumed Locke would make it, she also knew that Celes would need emotional support and therapy. The horrors of such inhuman actions had left many she knew reeling and unable to collect themselves. This morning, the report was also of an unexpected death in a jail cell that morning. Celes and Terra were floored by that announcement. Terra was quickly ecstatic about the news of Kelbesque and even asked Curley if she had been lucky enough to be selected for the execution. Curley laughed at that, acknowledging that she would not be so jovial to kill another person, Kelbesque included.

Then she smiled at both. “The New Narshe Trade Plaza is fantastic in the morning. Come for a stroll?”

The three walked with escorts trying to keep up. Both Celes and Terra found it uncanny how easy it was to talk to Curley. She had a personality that was inviting and full of good energy. Her mannerisms mixed professionalism and banter in just the right portions. She had also served the Empire as a member of Security and had even been considered for Gestahl’s Honor Guard. She had a husband and a sixteen year-old daughter back in Tzen where she had grown up. It had been four months, three weeks, and three days since she had seen them, and only two hours since a carrier pigeon had brought her another letter proudly boasting of her daughter’s archery and jousting accomplishments. It would be no more than a day for the next letter, but it would now probably be more than five months until she would have the ability to see them again in one of the neutral cities both halves of the family would be welcome in. Despite all of the challenge involved, Curley was confident they could all make it work.

Celes now found herself talking about her past. Curley was very interested in the Imperial portion. She had remembered the name from her time serving the Empire. She, like Celes, had also grown disenchanted with their ways after the massacres at Maranda and Kohlingen. Unlike Celes, though, she had never vocalized it. She merely dropped her sword at the feet of a shocked Gestahl. Lord Alma’s influence brought her to New Narshe to serve the Military Division in any way possible. She remembered the day she left in perfect painful detail.

As they chatted, Celes turned to her. “I must say, I’m really jealous of you.”

Curley seemed confused by this. “How so?”

“First off, you seem to be able to balance military and social lives really well. Much better than I was able to. Second, I just can’t believe you and Roger have endured the time apart.”

“Well, Vice Chancellor, I had the perk of not being groomed in Gestahl’s light for so long. I can’t imagine what that was like. Frankly, I’m just happy you were able to escape that mental torture and find footing away from it!”

Celes became somewhat emotional again. Two comforting arms went around her shoulders. “I couldn’t have escaped without Locke.”

“I had heard the rumors of what happened. It’s a hell of a story to tell when recalling your first meeting with a man.”

“General.”

“No, today I am Alicia.”

“Alicia, I apologize. I’m still struggling mightily with all of this.” She looked up, upset. “I’m having difficulty staying calm and don’t really want to hear another success story of couples surviving distances and harsh times.”

Curley comforted her. “Vice Chancellor, I apologize. I had no clue what memories I was awaking.”

“Celes.”

“Oh, ok. Celes. I am sorry, Celes. Wait… the hell?”

They had shown up at the Plaza. It was its normally bustling location, full of activity, bartering, and haggling. Rare jewelry and cheap trinkets abounded. Only positive emotion was authorized here. Today, though, extra activity abounded in the open square. An impromptu performance was being well received. The lead was carrying two people while cursing at another man who was dressed in disheveled military silver and constantly fell over. The constant chase and defeat of the officer kept making the crowd cheer.

Curley grumbled. She didn’t know that the performance of Locke’s heroics would be there. “Celes, I’m sorry. Perhaps we should go somewhere… Celes?”

Celes and Terra had walked to the performance. They stood amongst the New Narshe townsfolk in awe of their support for the spy from Figaro. Celes couldn’t wrap her head around just how much of a deity Locke seemed in their eyes. Suddenly, chants of Figaro erupted, interrupted by chants demanding the end of Kelbesque. Then, the performance ended with the spy stabbing Kelbesque to death, and the actors bowed to a raucous applause. The crowd soon disbanded, swallowed by the larger crowd surrounding the tables and blankets covered with wares and novelties. Only Celes and Terra stayed in the center of it.

Curley finally caught up. “You two okay?”

“Alicia,” Terra asked, “when will they find out about the General?”

“I imagine a press conference will be scheduled in the morning.”

Celes looked at her. “What happens after that?”

“I imagine the blue-clad spy will receive more applause in the next performance.”

Celes let out a whistle. “Your people really went nuts over this.”

“Well, they’ve all hated the shitbag Kelbesque for a while now since the last torture scandal. His actions two days ago almost incited riots. Locke was the symbol they locked on to key their resistance to our Division.”

“No one here seems too upset with you,” Terra replied.

“That will probably change a bit once I am formally announced,” she chuckled. “I won’t win them over in a day. Only thing I can do is dedicate time and energy to ensure no force like that comes back. Selfishly, I pray he survives; otherwise, I bet I’ve lost the city for good.”

“Alicia, I’m sorry,” Celes suddenly said.

“For what?”

“For being so jealous of you. You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met. I don’t think I could ever pull off what you do.”

“Bullshit, Celes.” She smiled at Celes, who still wasn’t sure she had heard the right words come out. “You’re one of the most gifted politicians in the world. You’ll accomplish a lot more than you ever realized.” Then, she held up a hand to halt Celes’ protests. “And once he’s back with you, I know you will balance it all well.”

“My turn to call bullshit I guess. We’ve already fallen apart. Words fail us.”

“You can rebuild houses after storms. And when you do, you learn where to best reinforce the walls and roof. Look Celes, I’ve no clue what hells you’ve endured because of this. I won’t ever be able to tell you the magic words that help you break from this confidence and regret problem you’ve got going on. I will tell you, though, to not be afraid to seek help. Both of you have suffered greatly in different ways. I think you both need some good luck and love thrown in your directions. After all, you’d both do it for others.”

Celes stared off again. “Please don’t misunderstand me. I understand what you are saying but right now I just can’t conceptualize it. Maybe with time.”

“Hey, I’m no doctor, but even I’m pretty sure this will take a while to internalize. So let’s focus on one day at a time.” Curley quickly snatched three glasses of wine from a counter, passing them to her new friends. They held them up. “To the small gains each day that build a glorious path forward!”

The glasses clinked. The three drank them. After a while, Celes grumbled. “I think, once this ordeal is over, that I am giving up drinking.”

“Don’t make promises like that! What am I to do without my favorite drinking buddy?” Terra protested, giggling.

“Well, that does leave Edgar,” Celes said, now smiling.

She was now laughing as Terra’s face grew stern. “By my royal decree, I will _not_ let that happen!” Then Terra burst out laughing.

Curley smiled. She had no understanding of what was being said, but she knew that moments like these would help Celes endure the darkness of hell now hovering over her. She then tapped her headset. “Understood. Thank you for the report.” She turned to Celes and Terra. “Fourth surgery successful. The doc allegedly doesn’t want to upgrade Locke’s chances for recovery due to doctor superstition.”

Celes smiled, wincing. “Four now in roughly a day? I don’t think I’d believe it.”

Terra laughed. “As it stands, though, he keeps his track record going of beating the odds. And that means so do the two of you!”

The rest of the morning was spent enjoying a delicious breakfast and also meeting some of the soldiers stationed in the city. Curley explained some of the brief history of the strange blend of architecture that had become a craze in the city. Finally, they returned to the hotel. It was now eleven thirty. Celes and Terra desired room service as a break from walking.

As Curley was saying her goodbyes, she tapped her headset again. “This is General Curley.” She suddenly looked confused. “Wait, I don’t get it. What are you saying about Locke?”

Celes was suddenly longing to hear the conversation. She wasn’t sure if Curley was being told bad or good news, and her expression wasn’t giving away much.

Finally, Curley smiled. “I will tell them immediately.” She turned to Celes and Terra. “Fantastic breakthrough! He awoke from his medical-induced sleep maybe ten minutes ago.”

Celes suddenly jumped and crashed against Terra, excited beyond belief and weeping tears of joy. After the commotion and laughter subsided, Celes got to her feet. “What more?”

“I don’t get medical stuff. He tried to dumb it down for me. Apparently he was responsive to medics for maybe fifteen seconds before the pain overtook him again, and they got him to sleep again. Didn’t speak, but showed recognition of voices and movement.” Curley leaned back. “Never believed doctors believed in miracles. Apparently this was not expected for a few more days, if at all.” She smiled at Celes. “You certainly know how to pick them.”

They all smiled. Curley bid them adieu and returned to the compound. The break was over, and now repairing Military Division was again the priority for the afternoon.

 

“Good. Please send word to His Majesty,” Alma ordered her page.

“Such an amazing recovery curve,” Kinnick marveled as he read the report. He then reviewed the recent information regarding the Utok activity that had surged near the northeast Nether Stone location. As it had the previous three attempts, it had been repelled. “I wish Utok didn’t just send their own soldiers to their deaths like this.”

“Ambition drives people to do silly things.”

“It makes no sense putting us through all of this.”

“You must learn to understand human nature at some point.”

“Given your policy directional change, I’m more content with leaving it a mystery. Gives us more hope,” he chuckled. He knew his romanticism drove Alma crazy.

She hid it better than most days. “I’ve had to survive before. This is no different. As you know, our people have driven this more than I have.”

“Their newfound love for you should make you happy.”

“Their reinforced hatred of the military protecting them from the outside world’s chaos will not.”

“General Curley will ameliorate the animosity. It will take time, but I’m sure we will soon see results.”

“Time is not a luxury in this current world.”

“Such a shining beacon of hope,” he chuckled again. He knew she was not pleased with his barbs. “My Lord, please relax and trust General Curley. She has enough burdens to deal with now. Your suspicious eyes shouldn’t be one of them.”

“She knows why I pry. Her job is not one of simplicity. She understands this.”

“She’ll understand if you let her do her job as well.”

“Micromanagement for now. Anything else?” Her page shook his head. “Very well. Let us break for lunch. It is late already.”


	33. Inspiration

For the next three days, Locke drifted in and out of consciousness. At first, he could only really commit to doctor’s wishes and demands for moments, but by the third day he was actually able to remain awake for up to fifteen minutes before his internal trauma radiated enough punishment that the ether returned him to a dream state. Each time he awoke, he felt a new rush of fear as medics and nurses constantly checked him, invading his personal space. He remained still out of terror, but also out of a need to prevent a sudden movement or muscle spasm that would inevitably fill his useless body with more pain and the memories of what had caused them.

Locke hadn’t found his voice yet. The trauma set inside his mind made him too afraid to talk when the doctors asked him how he was doing. He simply complied with their every demand. Now, it felt like the right thing to do. Obeying somehow meant a better chance of survival.

A doctor observed every one of his interactions. His nametag read GORDON, DARREL. He had studied to be a medical examiner but had switched to trauma treatment after deciding that the soldiers of the Empire needed more care than initially realized when they returned from battle. The physical aspects were easy enough, but he theorized that the emotional trauma, when left unchecked, would inevitably do the greatest harm. So he dedicated himself to a practice that was routinely thankless, forcing him to hold on to the few moments a week or month where his work was rewarded with an Imperial trooper finally able to sustain himself in the world. After the world collapsed, he instinctually headed up to Narshe to help anyone who might still be there. He remained even after the Order of the Kazen showed up, and had been there with his family ever since.

Gordon smiled, yet filled with sorrow as he jotted notes into his book. Here before him was a case unlike any other he had worked on. He marveled at how Locke’s body had the ability to recover from the vicious wounds he had suffered a few days ago. Everyone seemed in great spirits about the progress he had made under their care, yet none had seemed to recognize that Locke’s mind was still suffering greatly and would probably continue to do so for perhaps years to come.

Gordon was assigned by Bauer to be the primary psychological caregiver to Locke. As such, he began to utilize his experience to try and help treat Locke in both body and spirit. First, during the brief moments where Locke could listen, Gordon began to implant new messages in his mind that could be used to fight off the horrors of the morning that Locke struggled to escape from. He reminded Locke of the strength he possessed in surviving the brutality, and while he would be tested again and again he could rely on that strength to overcome his fears. He first goal was to get Locke to begin trusting him. With that bond, he knew he had a chance to help Locke begin to move forward in his emotional health.

Today, he tried as he had the previous two days to get Locke to surrender but a word. This time, he knew he was close. Eventually, the healing would happen.

Five days later, Gordon finally had an unexpected breakthrough. It was morning, and Locke was now awake and alert. By trend analysis, Gordon believed he had maybe forty-five minutes to help Locke speak. He approached his patient’s bed. “Good morning, Locke. Dr. Gordon here again. How are you?

Locke stared at him suspiciously, refusing to answer.

“Once again, you never cease to amaze us. Eight surgeries strong and no signs of infection. You are starting to get to a point where we may even consider lowering ether dosage to combat dependency. Your strength is inspiring.”

Gordon smiled and observed what his words were accomplishing. Locke was analyzing everything he said. His mental acuity could focus on that and away from his mental scars.

“Locke, you seem like you are pondering something. Is there anything we can do for you?”

Suddenly, Locke winced. He had shifted a little bit to his side, and the resulting pain streak went from his anus up to his gut. It had lessened significantly over the past few days, but the attached memories caused him shivers.

Gordon knew they would last for at least a few minutes and intensify without treatment. He quickly motioned for the nurse not to administer the expected sedative. Locke suddenly looked up, realizing his panacea had not arrived. Instead, he saw Gordon observing him without smile or frown. He closed his eyes again, unsure of how to handle his forced tremors. Two minutes passed, and now Locke felt the urge to convulse. He could not escape his cruel fate. The pain would be there forever.

Suddenly, his eye opened and he stared at Gordon. The doctor had not moved, but now he was speaking. “Think of something that you’ve inspired.”

Locke processed the request as a possible way to finally get the ether he craved and closed his eye. _What the hell can I inspire? All I am is a useless bottom feeder in a ruined vessel. What can I inspire?_

Then, he saw Kevin, Marie, and Owen Hasty walk toward him. They stopped, and began to hold each other. They smiled at the man who had not let them be permanently separated. They nodded in unison. Then, they parted, allowing space for a bright figure to step out in front of them. The figure had undefined features and looked more like a specter. Locke had no clue what this figure intended to do. _What are you? Please, go away. You frighten me._

The apparition stopped moving. Then, it began to transform. Locke felt something familiar emerging from the now infinite spiral that the image had created. In a moment, a wave of pure energy hit him.

In front of him were twelve people he had once considered his closest friends. Together, they had saved the world. Now, they were here with him again, arms held. Suddenly, the two in the middle, Terra and Edgar, let go of their grasp on one another, and out she stepped. She was stunning in the light. Locke recognized her body immediately.

_Celes! Wait, Celes?_

She appeared clearer in his eye than before. He shuddered when he saw her. Her right eye was swollen shut. Her lip was engorged. Bruises covered her body. She did not look at him, choosing to look down to her right.

_Celes? What has happened to you?_

She didn’t say anything. She was looking down, helpless. Then, she looked at him. He immediately recognized the look, and then realized why it felt so familiar to him. He was looking at the Celes he had unexpectedly seen in a jail cell in South Figaro, the same Celes he had rescued on a whim without fear of consequence. This was the Celes he had somehow fallen in love with inexplicably, the general who had supported the Empire that assaulted his hometown. This was the Celes that had joined by his side to save the world and then joined his side to grow and nurture a new future together.

He thought it made sense to him. _My gods, how she has grown strong since the day I met her. Makes sense given how amazing she is._ But then she shook her head.

In the next instant, Locke was back in South Figaro, watching helplessly as the gallows had done its trick. In a noose, still and now bluish gray coloring the skin, hanged Celes. The Empire was cheering, and Locke couldn’t hear his own screams.

He quieted himself. _This never happened. I stopped this from being reality. I got to save her, to know her, to bond with her, to fall madly in love with her._

He was now back to seeing her in front of the rest of his friends. In an instant, her bruises had healed, and she looked at him and smiled. “Thank you for everything, my love.”

Suddenly, Locke opened his eyes. Gone were the images of the Hasty family, his friends, and Celes. All he saw was Gordon, smiling. “Does it still hurt?”

It took a few more seconds for Locke to remember the pain that had still resonated. He winced again.

“Yes. Please make it stop,” he whimpered weakly.

“Where is the pain?”

“Shooting up my body. Please, doc.”

Gordon motioned for the nurse to finally administer the ether. In ten seconds, Locke let out a sigh of relief. He then leered at Gordon. His face demanded an explanation for what had just happened.

“Locke, I know you are angry at and scared of me. But please trust me. I’ve treated many who have suffered in some form or another. You made some amazing strides just in the last ten minutes.”

“You left me here to suffer pain.”

“Oh? The second I told you five minutes ago to think of something you’ve inspired, we saw you stop convulsing. Your vitals suddenly shot into healthier ranges than we’ve seen yet. Your fear was replaced by a look of determination. For five solid minutes, you defeated the pain.”

Locke blinked. Had he really zoned out for five whole minutes? He quickly glanced at the clock. It sure was possible. He slowly turned back to the doctor, maintaining his defensive facial posture.

Gordon smiled. “Locke, right now I feel it’s crucial for you to begin coping with what has happened. I know you have the strength, even if right now fear and hopelessness cloud your mind. You’ve proven your capabilities to us today, and hopefully yourself. It will not be easy. With what plagues Hell decided you needed to experience, recovery won’t happen overnight.”

Locke didn’t feel like thinking about what Gordon was telling him. He shut his eyes and began to snore lightly. It didn’t take him more than thirty seconds.

Gordon smiled again. This had been the first time since the incident that Locke had been able to fall asleep without struggle. He looked at his patient and smiled. “Keep pushing, Locke. Whatever helped you fight the pain the first time will always help you keep it at bay.”

 

For the next week, Locke allowed Gordon to subject him to the psychological portion of the treatment. He struggled at first, especially when he moved too much. He despised his body more and more as it began to feel like he was succumbing to doubt that he would never feel the way he used to. But he somehow fought through it, and day by day the pain slowly began to dissipate. It began to feel more dull as expected. It also left him exhausted to the point that Nutsy suspended the counseling for a day, worrying Locke would accidentally aggravate one of his many still-healing sutures. Locke didn’t speak too much, but occasionally would honor Gordon’s requests for answers to his questions.

They were in the middle of a session. Locke could now be awake for almost two and a half hours at a time, and on good days with less ether. In this session, he wasn’t particularly interested in chatting and hadn’t said a word. Instead, he was thinking about the Kazen, and how he had been spared. He wanted to talk to someone from the court, to see how New Narshe was doing. He wanted to talk to someone from Figaro, just to see how things had been going with Shadow Ops and his friends. He wanted to know if Edgar had kept his promise. But he couldn’t know that. New Narshe would have to do.

“Doc, how are the Lord and Vicelord doing?”

Gordon was stunned by the question. “Well, they are probably very busy. I don’t follow their schedules too well. I just send them your updates.”

“Would one of them come to see me?”

Gordon shrugged. “I could certainly pass a request to Vicelord Kinnick. He was very impressed by you. I’m sure he’d enjoy a chance to see how much you’ve progressed. I’ll do so after our session.” He then looked at Locke thoughtfully.

“What is it, doc?”

“Well, I just assumed you’d want to talk to someone from Figaro.”

“Didn’t think that was allowed.”

“Well, I do apologize. You haven’t been kept much in the loop on Figaro and the Kazen. Lord Alma and King Edgar have been working together very well since your incident. His Majesty has had some of his most important contacts here, awaiting your full recovery.”

“Wait, who’s here in the city from Figaro?”

“Well, thus far the Queen showed up for the first two days. The Lord of Doma and his wife have also been here for a while. They left when a moogle and a sasquatch showed up for a bit. They left when the Queen returned yesterday.”

Locke began to relax.

Then, Gordon continued. “The only constant has been the Vice Chancellor of South Figaro.”

Locke shot up on hearing that. He quickly winced and closed his eyes. “Ow, ow, ow!” His left shoulder ached something fierce now. His inner linings quivered with the unexpected jolt. He knew the blunt aches would be on him for some time. He coughed a couple of times. “Celes is here?”

“Yes, she volunteered to remain here until a resolution happened concerning your well being.”

Locke turned to stare at the far wall of his treatment room. Edgar had broken his promise, all right. Yet, he couldn’t be angry. Celes had volunteered to stay by him. He knew it was foolhardy to think he’d keep this from her. Still, this meant she was close enough to talk to again, to help her fight through what was probably a group of mixed emotions involving him.

_I can finally do right by her and let her speak her peace._

“Doc, if it isn’t too much trouble, I’d like to see the Vice Chancellor and the Queen instead.”

Gordon stroked his chin. “I don’t see a problem with it.” He then shined an inquisitive glance. “Do you know them?”

“Yes. On first name basis.”

“I see. Anything else?”

“Yes. Celes and I are exes.”

Gordon began frowning. “I normally don’t recommend something like that this early in recovery. What are your feelings for her right now?”

Locke sighed a happier sigh than he realized. “No clue. I left her over six months ago because I thought she outgrew me. I’ve regretted doing that to her ever since. She wasn’t even supposed to know I did this. Yet she’s right out there, waiting for me.” Locke shed a tear. “I’ve no clue why.”

He saw Gordon. He was thinking about what had just been said. “Locke, are you sure about that?”

“I’m trying to think,” he replied. Then he mentally smacked himself. “Well, I did save her from execution.”

Gordon smiled. “Sounds to me like she’s been repaying the favor. I’ll pass along a request to them if it’s what you so desire. At the very least, it might provide resolution to some of your tension. That will conclude this session. Our schedule still takes precedence over visiting hours.”

Locke’s nod affirmed his desires. Gordon left and contacted Curley. “General, this is Dr. Gordon. I’ve got a request by way of Locke Cole.”


	34. Reunion

Celes was on pins and needles as she followed Curley and Terra toward the compound. Locke had personally requested for them to visit at the compound, meaning he now knew she had been a stalwart in the city since his incident. She had been kept motivated by reports of his drastic improvements in health. Yet now she was walking toward the compound that held Locke, the man who had found her awaiting death and wondering if it was well deserved. He had taken blind faith in her and ensured her safety. He had never forced her to fight for the Returners. He only wanted her to find peace. She instead found his smile impossible to resist. He had inspired her to live again, and to be willing to open up and risk for love.

Curley walked proudly. She had learned much of Celes and Locke’s relationship in those visits. She certainly couldn’t figure out what had possessed Celes to remain so loyal given his past behavior, but she also knew she would be happy if both got what they wanted out of this meeting. Besides, both had helped the Order in their own ways, if by diplomacy or by reckless abandon. That was good enough for her to hope the best for both of them. He had inspired her to fight even harder to restore the honor Military Division sacrificed the morning they attacked him.

Terra felt just as excited. Up ahead lay the man who had become her first friend after she no longer felt the control of the Empire. His intentions had always been so sincere and pure. He had always made her laugh and had encouraged her to forge her own path in life. He had inspired her to throw caution to the wind and get to know Edgar, and to fight for the future.

All three were now entering the compound. Celes let out a shudder and whimper, the growing maelstrom inside her beginning to become unstable. Terra placed her arm around Celes, comforting her and reminding her of how long she had waited for this moment.

Finally, they were in a room outside the Infirmary’s Trauma Center. They waited for a few moments. Finally, Dr. Gordon stepped into the room. He touched his left shoulder. “General, it is a pleasure to see you.”

“Likewise, doctor. Allow me to introduce Queen Terra Figaro of Figaro and Vice Chancellor Celes Chere of South Figaro. How is he doing right now?”

“Well, General, he took a small nap after our session this morning. He is alert right now. Anti-atrophy exercise is in progress. He’ll be available in roughly ten minutes.”

“Anti-atrophy?” Celes asked.

“Yes. His muscles are consistently weakening due to lack of use. The exercises are gentle and keep the muscles stimulated. I’ve also found it to help him heal faster from his internal injuries.”

“How has that been going?” Terra asked. “So far, what we’ve heard is that his internal injuries are what’s going to keep him here the longest.”

“Your Highness, it is true. Right now, a lot of movements send a dull pain throughout his torso. I cannot in good conscience release him until I am sure he is capable of being able to move on his own without risking an internal suture to hemorrhage and put his life at risk.” He turned to Celes, who had begun shivering at the mention of Locke’s torso pain. “Vice Chancellor?”

“Celes will do,” she quietly spoke.

“Very well. Celes, before we head in there, I’d like to speak with you in private.”

Celes nodded. The two left Curley and Terra in the waiting room. Soon, they were in his office. Celes held her waist with her right arm, looking uncomfortable with the situation. Gordon sat as his desk and began to study her. “So what’s most concerning to you with this meeting with Locke?”

Celes began to shudder again. “I’m not sure. So many fears have begun to come to me.”

“Has this been common?”

“No! I was on cloud nine when Curley relayed the message today. It has started since I tried to decide what to say on the way here.”

“What issues came up?”

“Well, truthfully, I’m terrified he will be scared of me.”

“It’s definitely a possibility of trauma victims to act defensive.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure I can handle that right now,” Celes murmured.

Gordon studied her. “Then why did you show up?”

“I couldn’t make him believe I had rejected him, I think.”

“If that’s your intention, then please listen,” he replied. Celes was now all ears. “Thus far, he has admitted to a previous relationship with you. What are your feelings for him?”

“I can’t explain it. We were so happy. As work ramped up, we fell apart. He just left one day, no word, no reason. That was over six months ago. Yet today here I am, proud of myself for refusing to give up on him.” She then saw Gordon smiling. “You look happy given the subject matter.”

“But of course I would be. Just remember your intentions in there. Stay true to them. There is much that can happen that will attempt to unravel that bond you two share. He’s in a very weak state emotionally. Things you don’t realize or expect might send him into a shell or drag up something long kept dormant. The trauma he has suffered is still somewhat fresh in his mind.”

“And if that happens?”

“Best to let it slide off and stay positive. I explained to him that he risked erratic behavior in this meeting.”

“And he still wanted to see us?”

“Celes,” he smiled, “I’m of a sound medical opinion that you are the main focus of his request. I simply have laid it out to you two the inherent risk and possible outcomes of a reunion given his state. When I saw the hope in his eyes of seeing you again, I decided that this could not damage his recovery. Worst case would be a longer road of therapy.”

Celes blinked. _Hope_. She looked at Gordon. “Any advice on not making him scared?”

“Unfortunately, there is the risk that simply seeing you might set off unexpected emotional responses. The best advice I can give is to be warm and inviting and accept whatever he does like it does not faze you. He is scared. Professionally, I’m required to give you all the facts and let you decide on your own what to do, but you inspire him, Celes. While the emotions of the past months certainly hurt his stability, I believe that he believes he will find something beneficial by seeing you again.”

Celes felt like she was going to cry again, but she held her emotions in check. She knew she would need the practice when she would see him soon. “Doctor, I apologize. I should have started off with thanking you for doing everything you can for him.”

“It is my humble and proud duty, Celes,” he boasted. “Now let’s join the others and wait for the room to be set up.” The two returned to the waiting room, where Gordon gave the others more rules and instructions for the Trauma Center.

They waited for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, a medic came out. She was smiling. “The patient is ready for visitors.”

 

Locke took another look in the mirror. His skin had not fully healed from the second-degree burns. There would still be marks all over his body for a while. His hair still held a silver hue. There was still evidence of his muscle, though much of it had disappeared throughout the recovery process. His eyes were dark without the aid of eyeliner. His right foot was in a cast, and his left shoulder was now held in a sling to promote natural healing. The internal agony was now but a dull pressure. Mentally, he had no idea where he stood anymore. His emotions turned on the smallest of memories. Staring at himself, he knew he was but a shell of his former self. Now he was stuck to machines, unable to survive on his own.

_Maybe seeing them now was a bad idea._

Still, he held his resolve and determination. This wasn’t about him. This was for her.

Then, a medic walked in with Dr. Gordon. He smiled at Locke. “Good afternoon, Locke, how are you doing?”

“I think I’m okay for now.”

“Good to hear. Your visitors are waiting outside the room. Shall I let them in?”

Locke took a nice, long, deep breath. It was time. He nodded.

Gordon went back to the door and motioned for the visitors to come in.

Locke recognized General Curley from the investigation. He slightly nodded. Then he saw Terra and reflexively smiled.

Finally, he saw her. A wave of all kinds of emotions came over him. It both frightened and fascinated him. He wanted to both retreat and advance at the same time. The dissonance suggested fear, but deep down he knew there was only beauty to be discovered.

Celes walked in last, mostly due to nerves. As she entered, she first observed how the room felt cold. Then, she saw him, and the warmth returned instantaneously. Her fears in Gordon’s office evaporated. His face didn’t show the little nuances she had recalled, and his skin looked like it jabbed at him all over, but he was there, and somehow that made him perfect anyways.

It had been over six months since Locke had abandoned Celes. In this moment, he hoped for another chance to show her the stars. She remembered all he had done for her and knew he would get one. Despite each of them somehow understanding how much pain, uncertainty, and struggle lay ahead for the two, the moment was perfect.

Not a single word had been said yet. Curley watched with cautious optimism. Terra looked happily irritated, waiting for Celes to break the ice.

Finally, Celes smiled. Locke recognized the inherent warmth and its acceptance of him. Still, he studied her. After a few more moments, he offered a weak smile.

Suddenly, Celes found herself unable to stop her slow walk up to his bed. As she approached, she noticed his apprehension begin to heighten. So she stopped and continued to smile at him.

Locke lay there, confused and full of doubt. Could he do this? His mind said that he could not handle the emotional fallout of this encounter. Instead, he listened to his heart. He looked at her perfect skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. He weakly smiled. _No regrets_.

“If you want to come closer, it’s okay.”

Celes processed this and smiled further. In a few seconds she was right next to his bed. She saw his face, guarded and still processing if he truly was okay with this. In this moment, she remembered what Gordon had said to her. _Stay true to my intentions_. _He had hoped to see me. I want him to know I had hoped to find him too._

She slowly reached out and touched his face, the smile never leaving her face.

He both longed for the contact and believed he was undeserving of it. He started to shrink back a bit. “Celes,” he whimpered.

Celes recognized the internal struggle immediately. She smiled. “Locke, it’s okay. I’ve waited so long to be able to touch your face.” A tear formed in her eye. “To see you.”

Locke’s tear formed next. “Celes.”

“Locke, I am here. It’s my turn to save you now.” Celes saw a much stronger smile form across his face as his right hand reached out to touch her face. She began to tear up as she remembered the contour of his fingers. “Gods, I promised I wouldn’t cry.”

He quietly spoke to her, “Please don’t hide anything from me. It’s okay.”

Without thinking, she wrapped herself around him in an embrace she didn’t want to end. If it didn’t, they’d never be separated again. Then, she felt Locke shake in pain and immediately let go. She looked down. “Oh gods, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make it hurt again!”

Through his clear wince, he replied, “No, no, it’s fine. I’m getting used to it. It’ll go away.” He then forced her to look up with his smile. “You don’t have to stop this time.”

Soon she was back in a similar position, holding him and also taking more care not to accidentally injure him further. She happily curled up under his right arm and held him close. He had his arm around her now. Both were smiling.

For a moment, things made sense again for Locke and Celes. Their reunion had somehow been as awkward and smooth as expected. Yet they remembered all of the reasons they had fallen in love with the other, and that was enough. They both knew of the challenge ahead, but they also knew they now had their other half to help conquer it.

Locke and Celes turned to each other almost instinctually, as similar moments used to see them behave. Celes and Locke leaned in and closed their eyes. When their lips met, their fears retreated to the shadows. It was a quick kiss, but a passionate one. Over six months had passed, yet this came so natural to them. They took a few more moments to look into each other’s eyes.

Suddenly, they looked up. They had forgotten about Terra and Curley. They stared at the two. Terra was ready to explode with joy. Curley stayed in the background, smiling, feeling triumphant to witness this moment.

“You both can come over and talk too, if you want,” Locke said, smiling.

“Locke!!!” shouted Terra, running over to give her old friend a second hug. Curley slowly followed behind.

“Terra, I, I wish I knew what to say. How are you?”

“Just so happy that we found you!”

“Terra, I’m, I mean, I-“

“Locke, no,” she interrupted. “No words on that. We all forgive any unnecessary feelings you have. Right now, we celebrate this reunion!”

The conversation was light and mostly informational. Terra spoke about the Kingdom of Figaro and what had happened since he had disappeared. She recalled what each of their friends had been doing in the world. She also recalled a couple of embarrassing Edgar stories, partially for the intention of getting the chuckles she knew they would, and partially to show Locke the sincerity in her earlier remark. They all forgave him. Locke, for his part, did not talk a word of his previous six months of behavior. Curley filled him in on some of the details involving the strong new partnership between the Kazen and Figaro.

Soon, Gordon turned to the group. “I apologize, but Locke’s next session starts soon, and they are one-on-one.”

Terra nodded, turned to Locke, and smiled. “We can come back tomorrow, right Dr. Gordon?”

“Of course. I can give you a copy of his schedule. Best to call ahead in case he requires rest in between events.”

Celes turned to Locke. Her face was a mix of bliss in being in his arms again and sadness that the moment had to end so soon. Locke knew she wasn’t ready just yet to let go. “Doc,” he said, “can Celes and I get a few more moments first?”

Gordon mused for a few moments. “I will have to remain in here, but I will allow that.”

Terra and Curley exchanged goodbyes and left the room. Gordon shifted as close to the door as he could. He knew it wasn’t perfect, but he knew he was showing them that he was offering as much privacy as they could expect.

Locke then looked back down at Celes. Her eyes hadn’t left his. She closed them and nuzzled into his right breast. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“No, thank you,” he whispered back. They then simply sat there for a while longer, holding each other, feeling their roots begin to grow into each other again. After a little longer, he broke the silence again. “Celes, I missed this so much. Ye gods I was an idiot-“

Celes instantly had a finger up to his lips to silence him. She shifted her head to see him again, this time not smiling. Locke began to fret. When she saw this, she finally responded, “Locke, there will be time for those words later. We both have a lot to say. But not today.” She then smiled and shed a few tears of joy. “Today, we simply celebrate.” And without warning, she moved in to let her lips meet his for a few final kisses that demonstrated warmth of forgiveness and hope for the future. She then got up from her new side of the bed, still smiling at him.

Locke felt his elation begin to fade into sadness at the prospect of her leaving. It seemed silly, but he had to ask. “Will you come back tomorrow?” he asked, earnestly.

Celes processed the question, almost incredulous on the inside. _You don’t know the answer to that?_ In his state, she realized a sense of abandonment shining through his fears. She also realized what Gordon had meant in terms of this being a taxing time. Locke’s question had shown her a taste of the difficulties ahead. She would have to grow accustomed to these moments where she was included in the side effects of a psyche damaged by a sadistic general. Kelbesque’s intentions might not have been focused on it, but they had scarred hers and Locke’s relationship in ways that she couldn’t see yet and would have to face head on and without warning, like she had been forced to do just now.

_Best get used to it. I made a promise. I won’t let that damned General stop me. I will restore our faith and love, no matter the pain along the way._

She looked at him and smiled. “Locke, I will come back every day if you’ll have me.” She saw him smile again. She exhaled. “I can’t wait to come back tomorrow. I’ll be thinking of you and smiling. Thank you for letting me hold you.” She blew him a kiss, and walked out before he could see the tears pouring out.

 

Now Gordon remained. He was still in a medical observation stance. He finally smiled at Locke. “Very good. How are you feeling right now?”

“Doc, I’m feeling,” Locke closed his eyes and continued, “I’m feeling everything right now. Joy, fear, sadness, excitement, dread, love, hate, and everything else.” He stared at the ceiling. “I don’t deserve her, doc. How on earth could she come in and just forgive everything I’ve done just like that?”

“Locke, we talked about this. You promised you wouldn’t dwell on her intentions.”

“It doesn’t make sense!” he suddenly shouted, now angry.

“Locke, look at me,” Gordon ordered. Locke’s furious gaze turned to him for his expected guidance. “I warned you of the possible erratic emotions from a meeting like this so early in your recovery. After what I saw this afternoon, I actually had no qualms about letting her come back. But this angry reaction when she leaves gives me pause.” He saw his patient’s anger buckle in an instant. “Locke, she was right on the money. There is plenty of time later for you two to reflect deeply on past issues. There will most likely be anger and sadness in those conversations. You have to reestablish the trust you once had with her first. You’re doomed to fail again unless you can learn to communicate.”

Locke stared again at the ceiling. He knew Gordon and Celes were right. “I know, but I can’t figure out why that seems impossible right now.”

“Because you desire for everything to return to how it was before the pain started. It’s human nature to want to build that house back up fast so you can enjoy its protection and warmth. A house, however, takes time to build properly so that you minimize the chances of faulty craftsmanship bringing it back to the ground.” He smiled at Locke. “Right now, if you can see the importance of taking your time on this, I will continue to allow her to return. Given your conditions, you two are not ready to hash out the strife. Instead, I recommend you continue to reestablish your boundaries and comfort zone with each other. Words aren’t as crucial as actions right now to show you both want to be with each other.”

He had clearly been listening intently, as Gordon heard the question he expected Locke to ask. “Wait, _she’s_ not ready?”

“Of course not. She may suggest she is on the outside, but inside she’s a lot like you. She wants nothing more than to return to a point where things made sense and you two were still destined for infinite wondrous possibilities. Her past life and teachings, in my opinion, may force her to act faster than is required for a task like this. Truthfully, I know you two will have to eventually confront each other on what caused the schism. You will have to do so without outside assistance. Your chance at staying together depends on that independent reflection. Normal accepted practice says you need to be in better control of your emotions first.” He then smiled again. “Guess you’re not a normal patient. So I took a chance on you two today.”

Locke began to cry. “Do you think I blew it?”

“Quite the opposite. I think you two did much better than expected. There was a natural, organic connection formed today again between you two. You both threw a lot of caution to the wind and, in my medical opinion, took some unnecessary chances. But then again, human nature is what it is. I know you both only had the best of intentions for each other today. That makes me satisfied that it was a successful meeting. The next goal is to sustain that. There are still pitfalls aplenty in your ways. Don’t overlook them because you successfully navigated past the ones of today.”

Locke nodded, and began to wince. This had been a lot more draining than he realized. Gordon moved over to where his ether supply was. He was shocked when Locke shook his head. “Locke, are you sure?”

“Very,” he grumbled. “May as well begin to fight the addiction in little ways. I want to see how long I can go without it.”

“Locke, chemical addiction is a much different animal than post traumatic stress disorder. I’d recommend choosing one battle at a time.”

“Well, I’m not normal doc,” he replied, smiling. “Let me go until the end of the session.”

“Very well. So for the rest of this session, I’d like to go over some methods to help you cope with your perceived shame in your role you played in the cell.”


	35. Magical Thinking

Celes and Terra were now back at the Executive Suite. The emotional toll had left its mark on Celes as well. Terra simply held her, comforting her. She had no clue how to feel in what had happened. Like Locke, she had experienced the full range of emotions. In her case, though, as happy as she had been, a despondent feeling had begun to form in the back of her mind, refusing to budge. It had formed the moment Locke had asked her if she would return tomorrow. It was a feeling that she knew threatened their chances of becoming one again.

Celes felt guilty. In that moment, she had decided she was to blame for her love’s emotional discord, that everything he had been forced to endure was the direct product of her choices in their previous relationship. The weight of that feeling was beginning to crush her already, and she knew not how to handle it. The last time she felt guilt like this, she angrily spoke out against the Empire’s new methods to subjugate its enemies, and that had led her to a jail cell and a death sentence. Here, however, she would have to shout against herself. She was now the General that had overseen Locke’s brutal experience, and he now worried she wasn’t coming back.

She began to cry. Terra’s warm clutch wasn’t much, but it kept her from sliding further into ruin.

Then, there was a knock at the door. Terra assured her she would return soon, and went to let in the guest. She knew who it was based off the knock. She had requested assistance as soon as they had begun to return to the hotel. She had felt Celes begin to slip away and was not about to lose her now.

There was Kinnick. His gentle smile looked rock steady. “Your Highness, I came as soon as I was requested.”

“Thank you, Vicelord.”

“I’m here to help friends, not be political. Frederick will do, Your Highness,” he warmly replied. “So she hasn’t said a thing to you since the hospital?”

“Then Terra will do, and we need all the help we can get right now.” She confirmed Celes’ behavior. “I’ve no clue what to do.”

Kinnick rubbed his chin. “I doubt she’ll want to talk to me, but I’ll see what I can do. Worst case I can get her to someone she might open up to. I’ll do what I can, but if she’s too scared to talk about it with you, then I don’t know what chance I have.” He entered the suite. “But heck if I won’t exhaust all my options!”

The two walked into the living room. Celes sat there in a chair, just looking at the New Narshe skyline. “Good afternoon, Celes,” Kinnick said, “how has the day been for you?”

No reply, no movement, and no acknowledgement answered his question.

He stood near her. He knew she demanded her space, so he instead stared out into the city as he spoke. “Alicia found me today. Said you and Locke were finally able to see each other. That’s fantastic news!” He happily sighed. “I want to reward our entire Medical Division for the efforts they put forward in this case.” He turned to see if there was anything resembling a reaction to what he was saying. She hadn’t moved a muscle. He had to double check to see if she was still breathing. “I won’t try and guess how the feelings and emotions went in there. I’m just happy you two were able to experience each other’s company again.”

Celes finally turned and stared at him. She wanted to be angry that he had shown up, but instead all she could do was stare at Terra. She hated opening up about herself, but this time she lacked the energy or will power to hold it all in. “I don’t know what I am thinking right now.”

Kinnick knew he had a chance to help now. He sat next to her. “Try us. Terra and I are here to help you sort things out.”

After a minute, she finally opened up. “He wasn’t sure I’d come back tomorrow.”

Kinnick nodded. “I see.” He saw Celes begin to tremble with emotion again. “Did the doctor say anything about that to you?”

“I didn’t ask. He just sat there stoic. He warned me before I went in that uncomfortable issues might come up.”

“Did he say why?”

“He said Locke was fragile, not able to control some of his thoughts right now.” The crying came back. “And I still went in there and caused him stress and doubt. I was selfish today like I was back then and now this all my fault. Everything he went through, the walking out six months ago. It’s all my fault. I caused this.” Her head dipped between her legs as she released her emotions.

Kinnick knew to wait until most of the emotion poured out before talking to her. As she began to calm down, Kinnick placed his hands on her shoulders and rubbed them. His touch demonstrated one of pure concern and friendship and nothing more. “So you feel guilty about what happened to him. I can completely understand why you’d think that.”

“Frederick!” Terra snapped. “What are you saying? We both know that she isn’t responsible for this!”

“Oh I know that, Terra,” he replied. “But that doesn’t mean irrational guilt and fear can’t pollute the purest of souls and minds.”

Celes now looked up at both of them, unable to open her eyes. “How is this irrational? I stop being selfish, we live happily ever after, he never gets caught up in this mess!”

“It’s irrational because you didn’t order him to begin thieving again, to join Shadow Ops, or to be tortured. He chose a path that led to these things, Celes,” Terra responded, beginning to cry herself. “My gods, if we knew this would’ve happened, we all would’ve done things differently. Edgar would’ve held off on appointing you. I’d have protested more that you two needed some time together first before you made your commitment to Figaro. More of our friends would’ve stopped by to ease your workload to help both of you! He would never have left that night!” Now the tears were flowing from Terra. “My heart was shattered when I heard what had happened to him. But we can’t let ourselves get consumed by how time decided to flow. All we can do now is try and control the path forward. He needs us, and we want to help him. That’s all that matters now.”

Celes stood there in shock, feeling more selfish than before. Only this time, she knew it wasn’t irrational. All of her friends had been holding her up since he had left. She couldn’t let them hold that burden anymore. She looked back at Kinnick. “Frederick?”

“Yes, Celes?”

“Does your kingdom have a psychiatrist I can see while I’m here as well? I don’t think I can handle this myself.”

He touched his headset. “Medical, get Dr. Gordon for me.” He waited. “Ah Doctor, it’s Vicelord Kinnick. I was checking to see if there were any psychiatrists with openings for patients. The patient would be Celes Chere, Vice Chancellor of South Figaro. I see. Hang on, I’ll hand her the headset.” He took it off and handed it to her, explaining which button to touch to start and stop transmissions. She put it on.

“Dr. Gordon, this is Celes Chere.”

“Afternoon, Celes. What’s the matter?”

“I think I need therapy from this.”

“Very understandable. We can start with some one-on-one sessions in parallel with Locke’s. Depending on how they go, and if you two are comfortable with it, we can even try one or two sessions with both of you. What is the primary concern you have?”

“Right now I believe I caused all of this. And I feel like by leaving today all I did was reinforce that we couldn’t be together.”

“I see. In that case, I can see you tomorrow morning. Will eight work for you?”

“Of course.”

“The appointment is booked. Just return to the same location as you did today. And while it’s easier said than done, try not to worry. Perceived guilt like this is very common. We have an extensive support network to help you work through this. Any questions for me?”

“Not right now.”

“I look forward to seeing you at eight.” She heard him hang up, and then she handed the headset back to Kinnick.

“Please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you,” he insisted.

“Frederick, I’ve already done enough damage. I’m not sure I can ask for anything else except forgiveness.”

“None needed here, Celes,” he said. “I know this is rough as hell on you. I don’t put too much stock in emotional responses. I only want you both to recover.” He got up and walked over to Terra, who was now refreshing her makeup. “That goes for you too, Your Highness.”

“Thank you, Frederick.” The two hugged. He then departed.

Once again, Terra and Celes remained.

“You asked him to come, didn’t you,” Celes said.

Terra nodded. “I was scared. You had never shut me out like that before. I just didn’t know he would show up himself. Figured he would send some medics or Alicia if she was available.”

“Terra, thank you for everything these last several months. Your friendship has been so important to me. I’ll make this up to you somehow.”

“Don’t worry about me, sweetie. I meant it before. Right now, we focus on you and Locke going forward. We’ll do whatever it takes.”


	36. Closure

The emotional swings in the sessions had already become somewhat routine for Locke. He had begun to anticipate them in the belief that any form of response to stimulus was a small gain in the long run. His willingness to attack his fears and doubts head on impressed Gordon. Inside, he knew that while it would take a lot of time, Locke would eventually be able to function again on his own. That gave Gordon all the more inspiration to put his all in the sessions.

Celes, however, was another story. She was unused to being so vulnerable to strangers, a personality trait cursed upon her by years of Imperial dogma. Her sessions started off much more roughly than Locke’s had. Gordon, however, still held his positive outlook. It had taken some time to get Locke to fully open up. However long it took, he knew Celes would follow suit. He believed she wanted nothing more than to help Locke in any way possible. All that was left was for her to fully accept that even she could be stymied by the logical fallacies guilt usually provided. Doing that in front of Gordon, however, was proving difficult.

On a calculated gamble, he decided to have Locke and Celes do a group session together, hoping she would understand how important it was to finally talk to others about how she felt.

That session could not have gone better, he thought to himself. Celes and Locke, sensing how crucial it was to finally be open to each other, found themselves finally listening to the other as honesty came pouring out. Locke and Celes both felt guilty about how they had ended up in a New Narshe Infirmary, but this time there was no anger. There was plenty of disagreement and emotion, but compromise was beginning to take hold. Further, Gordon observed how each had begun to learn how to actually better communicate their feelings and issues to the other. The session ended with both looking into each other’s eyes, saying, “I love you.”

The closest they got to a fight, he recalled, was when Locke angrily asked Celes how she could just accept him back when he believed she just needed closure. She took the opportunity to give it to him. She looked up in his eyes. “Locke, I was devastated that morning when I saw those cruise tickets. I wanted to find you and slap you into oblivion. I wanted to scream at you for doing that to me. Then, I realized something. How the hell could I stay mad at you when I made the choice not to use those tickets? You think I wanted closure? All I wanted was another chance to talk to you and make things right again. I promised myself if I ever had a chance to talk to you again, I’d do everything I could to let you know how sorry I was that I had damaged the angel that saved me. Locke, I was ready to walk away from South Figaro the second you walked back into _our_ house. How the hell could I support those people when I couldn’t support the most important person in my life? You’re the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, and nothing you’ve done has changed that. There’s my closure, okay?”

Gordon smiled. The embrace and kiss they had after her proclamation had sent shivers down his own spine.

After the session, he talked to both of them about the incredible progress they had made in just one afternoon. He reminded them not to assume this would be the standard for them as they continued to grow together again and to ensure they took it slow enough that they did not risk ruining all of the hard work they had put into their new relationship.

 

Twenty-four days later, with Celes and Sabin at his side, Locke signed his discharge papers. Both Curley and Kinnick were there to witness the glorious event. The spy had stared his demise in the face and had lived to tell the tale. Now the city would rejoice, for their hero from the earthquake had been given a new lease on life by the Order.

Locke next signed the continuing treatment agreement. In it, he agreed to be visited by doctors from the Order once a week for the next two months to ensure no relapses or aggravations occurred. They would be checking his foot, which remained in a cast, and his shoulder, which still had sore tendons. It would still be a week or so before he would be able to get full motion without pain, and Nutsy assumed another two to three weeks for the foot to completely heal. Despite that, Nutsy and Gordon both believed it was time to let Locke grow in a more familiar setting for him. Thus, they authorized his transfer back to Figaro. Lord Alma signed the paperwork quickly in front of Sabin and Celes.

Now they were at the edge of the city getting ready to board a carriage. Locke took another big sigh. He then turned to Curley and Kinnick and held out his hand to shake both of theirs. “I cannot thank you both enough for what you’ve done for me.”

“I’d say Nutsy’s the hero here,” Kinnick laughed. “All we did was give him the reins and let him drive the sleigh.”

“And it’s the least we could do,” Curley added. “Your case made us realize just how deep our internal power struggles and disregard for Lord Alma had gone. What happened to you will be an eyesore forever, a permanent stain on our Order.”

“Well, so long as I know you two are leading the fight, I know it won’t happen again to anyone. And I can live with that. We will stay in touch.”

“That reminds me,” Kinnick said. He pulled out a box and handed it to Locke. Locke opened it and inspected its contents. He began to tear up. Celes walked over and gave him a hug and nuzzle. “What is it?” She then looked down and cupped her mouth with her hand.

Inside were hundreds of letters from New Narshe citizens wishing him the best in recovery and his future endeavors. On top was one from the Hasty family.

“The people are proud of the Order again today. And we have you to thank for that.”

“Speaking of my case, how is Boggs doing?”

“He’s still struggling with it,” Curley sighed. “He’s currently working in my admin division. He’s gotten better, though.” Suddenly, she saw Locke writing on a piece of paper. “What is that, Cole?”

He handed it to her. “It’s a card wishing him the best in recovery and his future endeavors. I have my justice to thank him for.”

Celes quickly snatched it and signed her name to it. “Alicia, please make sure he gets this from us.”

The final goodbyes were exchanged. They piled into the carriage. The horses started pulling.

Locke and Celes were now officially on their way back home.

 

As the city faded, Locke sighed. Celes had curled up under his right arm, borrowed his thigh for a pillow, and had dozed off, smiling as she slept. Sabin caught his sound. “What’s up?” he quietly asked.

“Just so much going on in my head right now. So much to do at the house, so much to fix.”

“No sweat. You’ve got a lot of people to help you now.”

“Yeah, I know, but it all feels so foreign. All I’ve known for the last six plus months has been everywhere but South Figaro. Take a look at that,” he said, as he pointed to the sky, “I haven’t been out in the sun like this since the day I got caught.”

“Doesn’t say much for your skills, by the way,” Sabin said with a chuckle.

“No, no it doesn’t. Thank god it’s all behind me now.”

“Does that mean no more thieving or treasure hunting for you?”

“Well, definitely for the foreseeable future. I started hating it before I joined Shadow Ops. None of it mattered without my most important treasure.” He looked down at Celes, giving her a smile.

“Never too late to see your mistakes. I’m happy for you two. It’s a shame, really, her sleeping on you like that. I promised her I’d pummel you a little when I finally saw you.”

Locke chuckled and winced. “That would definitely pop a few sutures.”

“How long until that no longer is an issue?”

“Doc thinks I’m good to go now. Mentally, though, it’s probably going to take a while to escape the dread.” He then looked down again. Celes had strengthened her grip on him while she slept. “Man, I wish I knew how lucky I was before. I’d have never left her side.”

“Well, you know it now. I’m sure she helped you through those roughest of times even after you left.”

Locke recalled how he had thought of her in the jail cell, her image the last thing he wanted to remember in life as he expected death. “More than she may ever know.”

“That’s the power of love!”

“Yeah, but how do you repay that? She deserves so much more from me.” Locke stopped mid-sentence. His eyes focused. “She does deserve more. And she will get that.” He bent over as much as he could, just enough to be able to kiss her cheek.

In his head, he imagined it well enough. She would come home one night to an immaculate house, purple tulips, and him, standing there on the finally completed deck, dropping to one knee, hoping to make all of her dreams come true.

He was going to propose to Celes, as soon as the right time showed up.


	37. Echoes of the Past

It was around noon when the carriage stopped in front of their home along the South Figaro coast. Celes had woken up maybe twenty minutes before they reached their destination. As she exited the carriage, she looked around the house with a sense of excitement that had been lacking for over half a year. The house seemed brighter now, even though it was clearly in need of a new paint job. The sculpted arches in the front still stole the spotlight in the midday sun. She was home, and it finally felt like a home again.

Locke then exited the carriage. He surveyed the scene as he grabbed the cane he had been issued by Nutsy. His eyes told a slightly different tale to him. The house had lost its luster. The unfinished deck in the back reminded him of his abandonment. The two arches he had finished, though, gave him a sense of hope. They had survived the trials of the last several months and still projected as the grandest aspect of the house he had been building up during Celes’ many frequent trips from her job. It hurt to know he wouldn’t be able to do much to begin the many repairs he still had on his mental list.

Celes interrupted his somber thought process by grabbing his hand. “Is it a lot more to handle than you expected?”

“Wow, very much so,” he replied.

“Well, let’s get inside! I’ll get started on some lunch. I had Setzer pick up some chicken for me!”

“Wait, Celes,” Locke interrupted, “do you mind if I help out with the cooking?”

Celes studied him. “Of course you can! I was just hoping to make the chicken for you, just a little ‘welcome home’ gift.”

Locke flashed a fake smile. “I got you. I really appreciate it!”

“You’re welcome. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Celes ran into the house. Locke followed behind a little slower. Soon he was lost in his thoughts. _Trouble walking. Can’t fix the house yet. Nothing in the job prospects. Now she wants to do the cooking._ He sighed. _I hate not being able to do anything_.

Sabin interrupted his thoughts by slapping his back as he walked into the house. “Come on, Locke! Your lunch is waiting, and I know you can’t wait to get back inside!”

Locke nodded and smiled. _I’ve got to get a grip on this. I can’t already be struggling_. He stopped and began to look at the new flowers that had begun to bloom. He then opened the front door. As he passed under the arches and through the frame, he saw his reflection from that night walking back the other way, not making a sound. He smiled as the spirit disappeared behind him.

He was now inside his house again. He looked around.

_Not much has changed in here_.

Locke moved through the living room to where the kitchen was. Celes had already begun preparing the meal while arguing with Sabin, who was laughing.

_Calm down, Locke. This will all eventually feel correct and good again._

He didn’t realize he had walked into a semi-serious discussion.

“I just need a number or estimate for Edgar. He wants to know how long he expects you out of the chamber.”

“It’s not exactly in my mind, right now. However long it takes-“ she said as she looked up. She realized Locke had come into what had to be an uncomfortable conversation for him. “Locke, sweetie! I hope the house is as you remember it!”

Locke nodded, smiling. “Someone’s free weights are everywhere. I did notice some nice muscle tone there, Celes!”

“Um, those are mine,” Sabin responded sheepishly. “I’ll clean ‘em up. Needed something to do while I helped watch the house.”

“There is life outside the gym you know,” Celes laughed. She then looked at Locke. “Really? I was hoping to get some in my arms. Glad you like how it looks. I heard even you built up some muscle during your school.”

“Aye, and as soon as I’m fully healed I’d like to try and get that back.”

She walked over and gave him another kiss. “Don’t change it too much, now.”

“I think it works.”

“Amateurs,” Sabin chuckled as he began his poses. Celes and Locke laughed.

Celes finished cooking and the three ate like kings and queens. Locke hadn’t enjoyed a truly great meal in a very long time. He also hadn’t enjoyed it with friends in roughly the same amount of time. He noticed that Celes couldn’t take her eyes off him. It helped take the edge off of the worries he had begun to collect outside the house. He kept reminding himself of what Gordon had warned him before his departure: he had developed a bit of a comfort zone in the compound, and adjusting back to his home would itself be a struggle.

Soon after the meal, Sabin bid the couple farewell and headed off back to Figaro. It was now just the two of them at home for the first time in a long time.

Celes looked around. It felt weird, wonderful, and worrisome all at the same time. Then, she noticed Locke had disappeared. A shudder came over her. She quickly tried to focus on the advice Gordon had given her. _It’s a bad memory, nothing more. He just moved somewhere else in the house. He’s not abandoning you again. Believe him._ She quickly ran into the house. She then saw his profile lying in a lounge chair on his unfinished deck. She smiled and walked out the back door to join him. She saw him turn to see her. “Care for a little company?”

He looked up. He didn’t want company this time, but he didn’t want to have his first day back making her worry. Gordon was right: this was going to be a lot more difficult than he had expected. “It would be wonderful.”

She sat down next to him but a little forward on the chair. “May I lean back?”

“Absolutely.”

She slowly leaned back until the back of her head was lying on his chest. His arms found their way around her waist. They then both closed their eyes, smiling. For the next few minutes, they enjoyed the sound the waves made on the beach below them. Not a sound was made except for the occasional satisfied deep breaths both made. The horizon lay before them, beckoning.

Celes finally recognized his irregular shifting. He was conflicted inside. “What’s up, Locke?”

Locke knew she could feel his minute motions and tell how he was feeling. He had always been impressed at how well she could read him. “A lot of emotions, actually.”

“You know you can tell me.”

Locke felt her angle her neck and looked down. She was now staring up at him, her eyes filled with concern and comfort. He looked down. “I should be excited beyond belief that I’m enjoying a moment like this with you, but since I’ve been home, I can’t stop thinking of all the things I need to do. I gotta paint the house, finish the deck, find a job, I don’t know. I’m not allowed to do them or pretty much anything. I’ve never felt so… trapped.” He sighed. “I’m also mad at myself for getting frustrated so quickly.”

Suddenly, Celes had forced herself up to meet his lips. When she finished, she brought a hand up awkwardly to meet his face. Her expression and intentions hadn’t changed. “I love you so much. I know it hurts you to feel so defenseless. Once we get that clean bill of health for you, I know it’ll perk you up. We’ll get through this until that happens, whatever it takes.”

“Thank you, Celes,” he smiled. He then scrunched his face. “Do you mind if I do the cooking until then? I know I can do that, at least.”

“Of course! You always were the head chef in the house,” she smiled. Then, she rolled over and leaned back up to give him another kiss. When she finished, she said, “But thank you, Locke.”

“For what?”

“For letting me cook the first meal for you. It meant the world to me.”

Locke laughed. “Have I really become that easy to read?”

 

The first week back was miserable for Locke. Gone was the routine of Shadow Ops and the medics. In its place was, surprisingly, an insistence from Celes to simply relax around the house. The only routine that came from it was the visits from their friends roughly every day in the afternoon. The rest of the time Locke spent continuing to talk more with Celes about anything and everything that didn’t have to do with his experiences since he had walked out. He unhappily followed his doctor’s orders not to engage in physical activity.

The first medic to show up extended his chit for one more week. Celes held him for an entire hour while he sobbed.

Those crying fits had also become a sense of routine. Locke had learned to thrive on challenges and routine while in Shadow Ops and had excelled in the recovery phase at the hospital. Now, those daily standards were nonexistent. That left him alone with his thoughts more often than not, thanks to not having a target to feasibly hit. As that week had progressed, Locke found himself wondering more and more if he could actually readjust to his old life.

Night only amplified his concerns. Locke struggled even more when it came to trying to capture a sense of intimacy in the bedroom. His harrowing ordeals at the hands of Kelbesque had left him ashamed of his body in such a personal setting. It was tough to maintain close contact with Celes throughout the night without him recalling the anger he felt at himself for what had happened. It would disappear just enough for him to fall asleep when he rolled over to his edge of the bed, almost falling off, and curling up in a ball.

Night also took its toll on Celes. She would awake every time he began to shiver and roll away from her. Gordon had talked to her extensively about the expectations she should have in the bedroom. Early on in the relationship, she always feared his former love would sleep between them. Thankfully, that had passed quickly. Now a more sinister silhouette inhabited the bed. She taught herself those first few nights how to cry quiet enough for him not to hear until she was able to sleep.

Each day, she saw him struggle. She had assumed the medic would give him full use of his body that first week. When he didn’t, she comforted him until he dozed, and then she returned to their bed and cried. Why was this so hard? Everything seemed destined for greatness up until they had spent their first night together again. Had this all been a pipe dream? Was he destined to fall out of spirits again? The exhaustion of her emotions finally took over and put her to sleep. It was only five in the afternoon. She wouldn’t wake until six the next morning.

During her fit, she hadn’t noticed Locke had been woken from it and had walked in, watching her succumb to her weakness. He silently observed her, not wanting to upset her further. Once he realized she had finally fallen asleep, he prepared her something for the evening and the morning to eat. After eating himself, he found himself staring at his reflection in the hallway mirror. He barely recognized himself again. He felt shame at what had happened. He was angry at himself for letting the doctor’s news devastate him. He was angry at himself for allowing his state to finally undermine Celes’ efforts on his behalf.

Suddenly, he focused his gaze. _Celes deserves a lot more than what I can give her like this._

He grabbed his shoe, cane, and jacket and walked out of the house.

 

Celes rolled over, stunned. It was six in the morning. How long had she been asleep?

Suddenly, she shot out of the bed, terrified. She noticed it immediately. Locke had not been in there all night. A horrified look came over her.

_Please gods, not again._

She threw on her robe and ran into the house, hoping to find any sign of what he had done the previous evening or where he might have gone.

She quickly stopped, jaw dropped. Locke was in the living room on the couch, somehow asleep upright with papers in his lap. A pen lay behind his ear.

She couldn’t help herself. She let out a small squeal. That did the trick, waking him up.

“Hmm… eh, crap, what time is it? Ow, my neck,” he grumbled as he regained his focus. He looked at his papers first, then he looked up to see Celes, scared and shaking. “Celes?” he asked as he shot off the couch over to her. He quickly began rubbing her arms. “You’re shaking pretty bad. Come here.” He tried to wrap his arms around her.

She shoved his arms away. “Locke, what the hell?”

Now he was confused. “Celes?”

“I sat and held you all day! You can’t even come to the bedroom to check on me?”

“Look, I’m sorry. I just nodded off for a moment. I’ll be ready for bed in a moment.”

“Bed? It’s six in the morning! Where the hell have you been all night?”

“Morning? That’s insane! I only nodded off for a few minutes!”

“ _That’s what you’re focusing on?_ ”

“Well, what in the hell are you focusing on?”

“Locke, I’m-“ Celes started. Then, she let out a primal scream of rage.

Locke cowered back. He tried to figure out what was going on, but he couldn’t with Celes so angry. Suddenly, he was on the ground in a defensive posture. “Okay, okay! I’m sorry! I don’t know what I did. Please, Celes, don’t hurt me!” He then recoiled further into his biggest fears, anticipating being struck. He began whimpering, “Please, Celes, I beg you. No more.”

Celes stood there, stunned. She immediately flooded with regret. She had seen this numerous times in the Empire. She had triggered a flashback. Locke was most likely back in the cell, awaiting the next cruel tactic she had in store for him. She quickly spoke to stop her guilt from crippling her. “Locke, oh my god, Locke, I’m so sorry. It’s me, Celes. Sweetie, come back to me my love!” She began to cry. _I broke him again. What have I done?_

It took Locke several minutes to finally relax his stance. By that point, Celes had curled into the fetal position on the ground. He slowly got to his feet. His head was swimming in pain, now. He had recalled a lot of agony in those few minutes. Thankfully, his brain had blocked out the most egregious parts. Still, he had come to his senses with Gordon’s assistance. He looked at her on the ground, and closed his eyes. _Concentrate. You know she didn’t intend anything. She’s frustrated. We have to be able to express ourselves without shutting each other out or going over the edge. We owe this to each other._ He knelt down beside her, now curled up in a spoon position behind her, holding her. “Celes, it’s okay. I’m back now. Please, Celes, we’re okay. We’re okay.”

“No, Locke, we’re not. I know what I did. I’m a monster.”

“No,” he said softly, kissing the back of her neck. “You’re not. We both knew shit like this might happen. I’m not going to run from it. Please, Celes, stay and fight this with me.”

It took another minute or so, but eventually they worked themselves up and were now sitting on the ground, holding each other.

“Locke, I’m so sorry,” she said. “When I woke up and realized you hadn’t come in all night, I panicked. You were so upset yesterday. When you finally dozed off, I came into the room and just broke down, and fell asleep somewhere in there. I don’t know why, but I was just so scared you had decided to leave because you were ashamed of yourself again.”

Locke processed what she said. He tightened his hold. “I’m sorry to scare you like that. I was ashamed at myself. I just came to an epiphany last night and acted on it. I’m sorry, I came in around five and saw you passed out. You had clearly cried yourself to sleep. I made you dinner and breakfast, but I finally decided I can’t go on like this anymore. So I did leave.”

“Locke, what are you saying?”

“Wow, never mind, that sounded really bad. I meant I went into town to the South Figaro Architecture Academy. Got an application for their next classes. Then I stopped at their text shop and purchased a couple of math books. I’ve never been good at math. Anyways, I… Celes?”

She now looked ashamed and almost ready to erupt at herself. “You walked out of the house last night to apply for school?”

“Yeah. I must’ve fallen asleep doing the application on the couch. I swear I was going to come back in to the bedroom, Celes. I didn’t even think about it. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you before I left.”

Celes couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing so hard that more tears came along with it. “Ye gods, how else can I react after a story like that?” She saw Locke more confused and worried than ever. She quickly calmed down and gave Locke a hug and kiss. “Locke, I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I laughed so hard. It just honestly feels better than crying, especially with how horrible I’ve been to you. It just figures that the ugliness I let my mind paint for me was nowhere near what the truth was.”

Locke was now hugging her back. “Well, I still feel horrible.”

“Try triggering a PTSD flashback. That’s horrible.”

Locke chuckled. “All right, I’ll let you… win this one?”

They both laughed and hugged. Somehow, in a weird, demented, and nearly impossible way, they had survived this together and intact.

“So, what brought along the idea for school?”

“Well, I realized I was only dragging us into a bad spiral. I’ve let my mind wander too much. I need something for it to focus on. Then I looked at the house and realized I wanted to focus on building things up.”

“Locke, that makes so much sense! Why in the hell didn’t I think of that sooner?”

“Well, I didn’t either. It took a bad medical report to force it. Anyways, I wasn’t too bad in school as a youngster when I went.” He heard Celes chuckle at the joke. “Math’s my weak area. So now I have three textbooks to learn before classes start up in a month. I have to drop off the application at some point today, though. It’s almost done.”

“I can help you with mathematics and physics. I was thoroughly trained in both.”

Suddenly, they both looked into each other’s face and began laughing. They felt the craziness of the morning lifting like a fog as day breaks. Here they were, on the floor in the living room, working together like a unit. Just a little while ago, their coexistence lay strained on the floor, ready to snap. Both finally recalled Gordon’s recommendation for arguments and discussions: Don’t skimp on the emotion and words, but don’t overdo it.


	38. The Gathering

The next week went by much smoother. The textbooks had done the trick. Locke was now back into a similar groove he had felt during Shadow Ops school. When he had moments to study, he was now locked in to equations, vectors, and calculus. It was challenging to say the least, but Celes was right there with him, checking on him every now and then and showing him different ways to grasp the material. Even she had to marvel at how committed he was to learning this new craft. “Did Shadow Ops train you how to focus like this?”

Locke grumbled. “Yeah, they definitely shaped my mind a lot. Feels pretty cool, actually. I even think I get some of your behavior better with my pseudo-military training.”

“Great, now you understand me even better,” she jokingly replied.

“It was only a matter of time, my dear.”

“Getting the right answer is not, though. You forgot to take friction into account in your base equation.”

“No, I-“ he quickly scanned his paper, and then lightly dropped his fist into the table. “Damnit.” He looked up at his love who was now smirking. “You knew I was going to do that, didn’t you.”

“Guess I understand you a little better, too.”

Locke laughed and quickly grabbed Celes into his arms, swinging her around and giving her a kiss. She didn’t often show her sense of humor, but damn if he didn’t enjoy those moments.

 

Eventually, the Kazen medic returned. It had now been two weeks. After a thorough examination, the medic shook Locke’s hand. “Congratulations, Mr. Cole. Chit conditions are officially changed. You can do physical activities again. We are limiting you to no more than fifteen minutes at a time on your feet during this activity, or so long as your right foot can handle it. Cast can come off now!”

Locke and Celes went into town that night to celebrate. It had been Celes’ idea. His favorite non-pub restaurant, a tapas bar, had just the perfect intimate setting for the two of them to enjoy a meal to another milestone.

Unbeknownst to Locke, it also had a banquet room.

He quickly understood when the lights flung on, and many people inside jumped up and shouted, “Thief!” He jumped up in shock, landing gingerly on his feet, quickly laughing. There in front of him stood Edgar, Terra, Sabin, Cyan, Setzer, Mog, Gogo, Umaro, Shadow, Relm, Strago, and Gau, all smiling. He quickly turned to Celes, who now had a very smug look of satisfaction. “You’ll pay for this later, my dear,” he laughed as he spun her around and kissed her.

“Go ahead and try it,” she flirted back.

He then looked back at all of them. “Uh oh, this is where I get skewered and pummeled, isn’t it.”

“That depends,” Edgar chuckled. “Celes, is he physically fit yet?”

“For fifteen minutes at a time,” she replied.

“Best to make good use of the time then.”

Suddenly, Locke felt the weight of Setzer, Sabin, Cyan, and Gau as they piled on top of him. Laughter and cheers filled the room, some of the strongest laughter coming from under the pile.

The evening started out fun enough. Everyone got their chance to come up and see Locke again. Light pleasantries were exchanged. He hadn’t seen Cyan and Lola together since the wedding. He was happy to hear Doma had been growing strong. Edgar, Sabin, and Terra filled him in on the possible demise of Shadow Ops and the other aspects of Figaro. Strago talked about the Thamasa gossip while Relm constantly asked him about his and Celes’ relationship. Setzer laughed when Locke told him he was the reason he had punched out the man in Kohlingen. Gogo didn’t say much except to congratulate Locke on a successful recovery. Mog had to restrain Umaro from squeezing too tight in his hug. Gau proudly showed him a nearly complete bestiary of the Veldt monsters.

Finally, Shadow walked up. He shook Locke’s hand. “Impressive performance. Searched a lot of the western world looking for you.”

“I guess so, Shadow. Sorry I made it so rough on you.”

Shadow wagged his finger. “My goal was a bounty. I’ve missed marks before. It wasn’t rough on me.”

Suddenly, Locke was giving him a hug. “Thank you for trying, though. I bet Celes thought the world of it.”

Shadow stood there, without motion. _These two are strange._

Then, the food and drinks came out. Everyone took advantage of them, except for Locke, who enjoyed the delicious food with a glass of water. Celes saw this and walked over to him, placing her arm around his waist. “Not even a glass of wine? Are you feeling okay? I didn’t overwhelm you with this party, did I?” She suddenly began to feel nervous. Perhaps she had gone too far.

Locke placed his arm around her waist. “A little bit at the start. But tonight has been fun and helped me to relax. You did an amazing job with this.”

“Thank you! But no wine?”

“Celes, I’m just not really into drinking anymore,” he sighed. He began to recall his drunken stupors the month prior to meeting Kingsley, how low he had felt, and how he had almost…

Locke shuddered. Celes immediately put her goblet down and spun around to his front. “Locke, sweetie? What’s going on? Is everything okay?” She wrapped her arms around him, bringing him close to her. “I’m sorry, my love. I didn’t realize drinking had been so soured for you. I won’t press it, and I’ll make sure no one else does.” She gave him a kiss.

Locke smiled, saying thank you. He then sighed again. He had been tight lipped about everything he had done, and what he had nearly done, after he had left her. He controlled his breathing, as Gordon had taught him. It helped him escape the painful memories. He then got a refill on his water.

He had no clue Celes was watching him like a hawk. She saw his controlled breathing. She knew he was suppressing something. She also knew to hold off on her inquiries. Tonight was a celebration.

As the night moved on, more fun discussion and hilarity ensued. Relm and Edgar both wanted to learn more about Locke’s new goal to become an architect. Cyan and Lola had become quite the dancing pair as they transitioned from swing to waltz. Gau and Umaro’s arm wrestling competition ended as expected, with Umaro ending it in roughly half a second. A crude comment about gambling resulted in Setzer accidentally dropping beer on Sabin, twice. Gogo attempted to mimic Mog’s dancing, but accidentally triggered a sunbath in the restaurant in the process. Celes and Terra had perhaps the strangest moment, as something triggered an old Vector custom of shot wars. Celes finished her three, complete with rendering the proper honors, just ahead of Terra, who laughingly demanded a rematch.

As the revelry picked up, Edgar found himself laughing as the chair he was sitting in was carried around the room by Gogo and Sabin. Even Shadow chuckled when Setzer brought him over to Locke, and introduced him to “Shadow Jr.”

Once they left, Locke smiled a little, and finished another cheese dish with some water. He had chosen for most of the shenanigans to remain somewhat aloof, studying his friends and enjoying the ambience they had provided.

Suddenly, Celes came over, slightly stumbling. He had already observed her down at least five drinks. “Locke, sweetie, it’s dancing time!”

He smiled. “Of course. A slow tune, I hope?”

“I’m not drunk yet! I can still salsa!”

He smiled. _Salsa._ He took her hand and brought her into the center of the dance floor. The rest of the room stopped to watch the spectacle they knew they would witness. It was one of the weird quirks neither Locke nor Celes had actually known about each other until they had opened to each other on their first vacation. For different reasons not involving other people, both had become expert salsa dancers. For Locke, it provided a fun moment at parties where he didn’t engage in normal fare. For Celes, it had simply been a great workout and expression to look forward to occasionally when the rigors of being a general overwhelmed her. Their first dance together in Nikeah had ignited passions they had never felt for each other, which was remarkable given the amount of passion they already held.

For the next few minutes, their moves captivated the room. It was like a several month layoff had never happened and Locke’s foot had never been stabbed. There was perfect execution and raw emotion. Their souls controlled their movements in perfect harmony with each other and with the music. For those few minutes, despite the raucous crowd cheering them on, Celes and Locke were alone with each other. This time, rhythm and tempo built up their bond and the physical contact they shared joined their essences together.

Finally, the music ended. They both received a standing ovation.

They walked back over to their table and sat down. Celes’ smile was unbreakable. “That felt amazing.”

Locke smiled back. “You’ve definitely been practicing.”

“Taught Lola how to dance with Cyan.”

“That’s awesome! She really likes dancing. About time someone gave her a right foot.”

Suddenly, Terra and Relm came up, requesting some all-girl gossip. Celes protested, wanting to remain with Locke for the moment. Locke began to laugh when Terra and Relm decided to include both in the conversation, but the laughter switched to a look of confusion and concern when Relm began to discuss the more mature topics with surprising fluidity. He politely excused himself to laughter once he felt his face go red.

The next thing he knew, he found himself outside the restaurant, catching some fresh air and smiling. It felt like old times, yet it also didn’t. He knew he was still slightly uncomfortable with all of his friends and their seemingly seamless acceptance of him back into the group. He also knew that too would eventually pass. He took in a nice deep breath of slightly cool air and exhaled slowly.

“Beats the hospital food, I hope.”

Locke swirled around to see Edgar, smiling. “Edgar, you scared me. Much better than hospital food.”

“Agreed. Look, Locke,” he struggled to say.

“Edgar, please. Don’t beat yourself up over me.” He hugged Edgar. “Enough people are doing that for my taste.”

“Locke, I should have done a lot of things differently.” He looked down. “I should have listened to Terra and not appointed Celes. What you endured falls on my shoulders as king.”

“And as your friend, I’m telling you to stop, Your Majesty.”

Now it was Edgar’s turn to hug Locke, with tears in his eyes. “I thought I had lost you, buddy.”

“This does feel good, Edgar. I’m sorry to put you, Terra, and Figaro through that.”

The two old friends looked into each other’s eyes. A lot of history existed here. They had become best friends as Locke had joined the Returners and became Edgar’s contact to the group. Neither would have ever expected their relationship to extend to the Shadow Ops.

“Anything happier to talk about tonight, Edgar?”

“Well, I do like your new career path.”

“It definitely beats treasure hunting and thieving.”

“Strange to hear that. I’d toast to it but I see you’ve gone sober. Doctor’s orders?”

“No. Personal decision.”

“Ah yes, of course. Makes sense.”

Locke suddenly shivered. He had forgotten what he had told Edgar in their meeting before the mission. “Edgar, did you tell anyone else about our meeting at Shadow Ops?”

“Only Terra, and she swore to secrecy on it.”

“I see,” Locke muttered.

“Locke, please don’t worry about it. Like I said, we’re all going to make sure you stay on a positive path forward. Your past remains with me and Terra, and there it will stay.”

“Thanks, Edgar. I think I’ve had enough air. I’m going back in.”

“Enjoy. I have to wait for a message from my assistant. I’ll be back in soon.”

As Locke walked in, he realized his shiver hadn’t completely gone away. Celes noticed it too. She walked up to him and gave him a big hug. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too. Not Relm’s discussion of boys, but you.”

“Ye gods, she’s just twelve! What do kids nowadays talk about?”

“Apparently very adult things.”

“I wish I could encourage her to just be a kid,” Celes sighed. Then she gave Locke a quick peck on the cheek. “I hope you’ve been having fun.”

Setzer unexpectedly interrupted. “Shadow Jr. here has been quite da partygoer!”

“Hey Setzer,” Locke chuckled. He was pretty hammered by now.

“Damnit, boy, you need more loosening up! Let’s get some brandy in you!”

“Setzer,” Celes suddenly growled, “what did we talk about?”

“Aw come on, you know I forget ideas like sober.”

“Sorry Setzer, probably never again,” Locke replied. “I’m just not in the mood.”

“Means more for me!” And with that, Setzer started to walk away. “Locke plus no booze. Who killed that party animal?”

Celes immediately saw Locke react badly to that question. His breathing had quickly accelerated and was back in a controlled mode. She now felt bad. She was still a bit tipsy herself and knew she couldn’t provide the best comfort for him. She took the moment to give Locke a quick kiss and then a walk over to Setzer. “Setzer, what the hell?”

“What? I forgot. I’m sorry.” Setzer replied, shrugging his shoulders.

“Just please watch it better. I told you it feels like a sensitive subject to him right now.”

“Beer would fix that.” Setzer sort of felt the slap through the drunkenness. “K, maybe not.”

Celes walked away frustrated and over to the bar. “Water for me, please.” She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. “Setzer, not right now. You can’t reason when you’re drunk.”

“No love, it’s my hand this time.” She turned to see Locke, smiling. “You look frazzled. What’s up?”

“Drunk Setzer,” grumbled Celes. “I’m sorry, I asked him not to push the drinking. I saw it hurt you a few moments ago.”

“Thank you sweetie. I’ll be able to handle it from here on out. I don’t want this to turn into another Albrook rumble.”

Celes chuckled. “That was quite the pub brawl. Setzer, Edgar, Cyan, and Sabin were all very lucky that we had Cure magic then.”

 

Eventually, the party wore down. They all trickled out of the restaurant to their destinations. Celes and Locke walked back, hands held, discussing how much fun the night had been. Once they got to the house, Locke carried Celes to bed and helped her get tucked in. He gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Good night, my love. I will be in soon.”

“Goodnight, Locke. I love you.”

Locke smiled and headed back out into the living room. He quickly swept up and smiled at the near spotless room. Then, he sighed and walked out to the still unfinished deck. He sat in the lounge chair and looked up. The emptiness of space lay above him. He closed his eyes and began to meditate. His drunken, suicidal past had been stuck in his head since Setzer had jokingly referenced something he knew nothing about.

Finally, he opened his eyes. It had been subdued. He smiled at the moon. “Thank you, moon, my friend. You cast no judgment on my decisions in the past,” he quietly spoke. He got up and turned to go back into the house, and stopped right in his pivot.

Celes was there.

“Celes? I was just about to come in to bed.”

“I know,” Celes responded. “I just know something really stung you at the party. Want to talk about it?”

Locke gulped, which was not the reaction he wanted to have. He certainly wanted to tell Celes at some point about those times, but did it have to be now? “Maybe later. We’re both a little tired right now.”

She studied his face. She finally nodded. “Okay.” She then walked up to him, placed her arms around him, and kissed him quite passionately. Locke eagerly returned the passion with his own lips. She whispered into his ear, “You know what salsa sets off inside me.”

Locke understood. But now he hesitated. He closed his eyes and pulled away a bit. “Celes, I’m so sorry.” He began to wince. “Gods, I can’t believe myself right now.”

Celes smiled and chuckled. She hadn’t expected anything to come of her foreplay. Gordon had certainly emphasized the long road ahead toward physical intimacy. “Locke,” she said, in a tone that always caused him to look her way, “we definitely don’t have to rush into this. Please believe me. We have all the time in the world for that.” She kissed his cheek and then his lips. “I’ll wait forever and a day if I have to. Being with you is blessing enough.”

Locke sighed. “Thank you for trying to make me feel better. I just didn’t realize how scared it made me, given our ability to enjoy each other’s space.”

“We can talk about it later. You are right, sleep is the best idea right now. Ready to come to bed?”

“Yes I am.” He followed her into bedroom, where he changed into his night clothes. He then got into bed and curled up next to Celes. He always loved how their bodies’ arcs seemed to line up perfectly with each other. Tonight, they fell asleep together, comfortable. Locke breathed a sigh of relief as he fell into slumber. This was another big moment in recovery.

Celes fell asleep shortly afterward. His happy sigh helped lull her to sleep. She hadn’t slept with a smile in a very long time. _We’ll keep winning, my love._


	39. Milestones

The next day, Celes found Locke back in the lounge chair on the deck, meditating. She looked with admiration and concern. It was either the drinking comments from last night or a brand new set of worries. In either scenario, she wanted to let him finish filtering it out and let him decide to bring it up. He had taken well to Gordon’s recommendations.

Finally, she saw his eyes open, but unlike previous sessions there wasn’t a smile or a look that exuded any form of being content. Instead, Locke was pondering something still. From a distance, it looked to Celes like he had lost this mental battle. Her instincts were to run and hold him, but something told her to simply approach him cautiously. “Hey, I didn’t want to interrupt. Would you like some tea?”

Locke didn’t turn back to look at her. His gaze was now fixed on the horizon. “Not really.”

“Locke, would you like to talk about it?”

Locke didn’t answer. His eyes didn’t move.

Celes walked slowly up to him. “Please, try me.”

Locke closed his eyes. He recalled a conversation they had had a long time ago, where Celes had unexpectedly gotten drunk well before they destroyed Kefka. She had explained to him it was the four month anniversary of Cid’s death. He had offered to drink with her, but she quickly polished off the rest of the liquor. He recalled how she cried in his arms, talking about how she had jumped off the cliff, hoping to see her adopted granddad again, because she had lost faith that people had survived the end of the world. He simply held her, saying nothing. He then recalled her the next day, sober and with a hangover, apologizing profusely for letting him know about what she had done. He had embraced her again, promising her not to tell anyone else and to remind her that with the people around her she would never feel such loss again.

He looked to his side. Celes had sat down next to him, his left hand in her right, and she was now staring off in the same direction he had been. She then turned and smiled. “I know I’ve been a bit of a worrier and not a warrior recently. I just hope you know I only wish for greatness for you.”

Locke flashed a frown, and then looked back off to the horizon. “I had made up my mind to go to the Koltz Mountains, drink a green tonic, gold needle extract mixture, and just assume people would find me once the season changed.” He felt Celes’ hand squeeze tighter from fear and sadness. He swore, however, that he felt a twinge of empathy. “Then, I stole Kingsley’s wallet and my life went in a completely different direction. That was my second rock bottom moment in a about a month. The first was when I realized how wrong I was to leave. That month I was probably sober for a total of twelve hours.” He sighed. “That’s why my drinking has to go. It triggers the worst in me.”

He finally looked up. Celes’ smile, to his surprise, hadn’t left. Through her touch, he had felt her discomfort in the subject matter. Her face, however, revealed her understanding. “I’m sorry, Celes. I know it isn’t what you want to hear.” He then felt himself being hugged by Celes. He slowly returned the favor.

“Locke,” she said quietly, “thank you for trusting me enough to tell me that.”

“Sorry to drop it on you like that.”

“Locke, no apologies, remember?” She met his face. “Whatever happened is in the past. Even the darkness molds your future actions, and those have only reinforced how truly amazing you are. Besides, with the friends you have, and with me by your side, you will never have to feel such loss again.”

Locke smiled. “I’ve heard that somewhere before.”

“Yes you have. It was the mantra that kept me believing I mattered. That I mattered to you. And to everyone else, but mainly to you. If we have to, by gods we will battle those evil demons together. There’s too much greatness in store for us.”

Locke leaned forward, placing his head on her shoulder. She held his head in her hands. “Thank you, Celes. You truly are the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”

“As you are to me, my love.” They kissed.

Slowly but surely, the details of those months came out, all the way up to the jail cell, what he believed he had experienced moments after the torture had ended, and how he had felt cold and alone in the hospital bed. The words were brutal, honest, and impartial. Tears fell. Both clutched at each other multiple times. The pain was now in the open and dancing around both of them. Still, when he concluded about how he believed her memories had truly been the last line of defense against death, Celes couldn’t help but cry tears of happiness and triumph. The story had been twisted, degenerate, and full of so much she despised, yet she knew it mattered for nothing. They were there together, and he had finally acknowledged how she had protected him.

Locke noticed the satisfaction and smiled. Celes just leaned in and kissed him for the next few minutes.

The two then returned to sitting on the lounge chair, arms locked, her torso leaning on his chest, both staring off into the horizon. They both knew this had been an important step for the two of them. He had finally shown his true vulnerability to her, and she had received it with no regrets and all of the encouragement he needed. Even better, not a sense of dread or regret hung over them.

They had grown strong together. Their lives shared many parallels and now they were prepared to face their inner demons together. That, perhaps, gave them the greatest odds for overcoming all they had been through.

 

Roughly three weeks later, the next big milestone was hit. And it occurred in the strangest of situations.

Physical intimacy and comfort was rough for them at the start. Once they had been able to hold each other close during the night, Celes had incorrectly assumed they were ready to return to physical passion. The night of the party, she had made her first attempt to get back that level of trust, and it had backfired. Despite the words she told him, she quietly took it as a failure of hers to put him in a complicated position such as that. A few days later, she found herself caught up in a crescendo of libido once again, and Locke’s reaction had been the same.

Finally, a few days after that, they found themselves in the bedroom. The act was awkward and Locke felt uneasy in his thrusting. It lasted all of twenty seconds. His frustration in himself lasted much longer. Despite her encouraging bedroom talk, he finally got up, put his clothes on, and walked outside to the deck. Celes cursed herself alone in bed.

Two more similar attempts later, Locke found himself questioning if he could ever find the comfort level with her again. Desire was clearly not the problem, for he still looked at her body and knew he wanted to make her tremble and shake with gusto. Mentally, though, he couldn’t figure out why he struggled with following through. Worse, he knew she longed for him to be inside her.

Thankfully, Celes finally approached him. She didn’t want him to begin doubting himself over something like this. She massaged his shoulders, promising him that she was on cloud nine despite how he felt, that the very acts they had performed had brought her only the most pleasant of feelings and a wonderful new connection with him.

The attempts stopped for a while. Then, one afternoon, after frustration set in on seeing bare walls, Locke decided to hang some artwork in the dining room. He had balanced himself gingerly on the table and a chair to hang a tapestry that Celes had held onto since she lived in Vector. He carefully envisioned the path his hammer was going to travel to the nail head.

“Ye gods, Locke, is that safe?” Celes asked, unexpectedly from behind him.

“Has been so far,” he chuckled. The sound of the hammer striking metal brought him a smile to his face. “There we go, now all I need is to find something to match that on the other side of the… what?”

Suddenly, Locke found himself off balance. He had shifted too much of his weight to his left foot, a practice he now realized had to end given his right foot had healed. _Not the right time for this realization. Shit!_

Locke looked around as he began to crash to the ground. He caught sight of the display shelf in front of him. He immediately reached out to anchor himself on it.

It didn’t work.

All Locke heard was his body hit the floor, followed by the chair. Then, he heard the sound of something valuable from the display shelf shattering right next to him. He looked quickly to try and identify it. The color of the ceramic pieces made him breathe a little easier. A pewter dagger he had bought a few years ago no longer existed in whole form.

Suddenly, Celes was near him, trying to check on him. “Locke, oh my gods, are you hurt?”

“More embarrassed, really.”

“Locke, stop that! You could’ve seriously gotten hurt!”

“I know, and I’m sorry. Just watch where you step. Those jagged dagger chunks will hurt a lot more than this did.”

Celes helped him to his feet. Then she gave him an upset stare. “I just want to know what you were thinking there balancing on a chair. And you loved that dagger!”

Locke brushed himself off. “I was just too lazy to get the ladder. And I’ve never fallen like that.” He then looked at Celes. “Look, I’m just happy I had sense enough to grab where I did, instead of in front of your family’s tea set. I’d have never forgiven myself if that came down.”

“Oh for the love of-“ Celes grumbled out loud. “That’s your concern? Locke, you could’ve re-injured something! Please, try and have some sense of that!” She walked out of the room, and into the kitchen.

Locke dropped his head. “Damnit, she’s right. That was a stupid thing to do.” He swept up the dagger remnants and put them in the trash. Then, he returned his tools to his outdoor workbench. He finally found his way to the kitchen, where Celes was fidgeting with a cup of tea. “Celes?”

She looked up, still slightly upset from before. “Yes?”

“I’m really sorry. I never meant to scare you like that. I’ll be smarter with myself for you.”

“Locke, it shouldn’t just be for me. Ye gods, if you had hurt your shoulder or your foot again.” She looked up. “I don’t know why I was so angry. I’m just happy you’re okay, okay?”

“Celes, I’m not buying it. Just speak your peace, please.”

“It’s silly, really. Not worth it.”

“Celes,” he now replied sternly, “that will never be true and you know it.”

“Fine. It just hurt that you were willing to take such a reckless chance so quickly after the cast came off, that’s all.” She stood up from the chair and faced him. “I think I was more scared than anything. I know I’m making this out to be a bigger deal than I need to, but I want to make sure you’ll be more careful in the future.”

Now, she looked upon him with a suspicious look. Locke’s eyes had changed a bit. She swore it looked familiar, but couldn’t figure it out. “Locke? What’s wrong?”

Suddenly, he walked toward her, a confidence exuded in his strut. She watched him approach, confused. “Locke?” Suddenly, she was swung around in his arms, and he leaned in to place his lips to hers. After a few kisses, they stopped and stared into each other’s eyes again. Celes now realized exactly where she had seen that look before. She happily returned a similar look back to him, letting him know she agreed with his intentions.

Their lips locked again, this time exploding with a passion that had been long dormant. Locke began to move down her neck toward the collar of her shot. She grabbed his hands with hers and brought them to her face, caressing his fingers with her tongue. Suddenly, she let out a low moan. His tongue had found her stomach. He returned up to meet her lips again.

Now it was her turn. Her hands found their way to his buttocks and gave a squeeze that she knew drove him crazy. She unbuttoned his shirt as she kissed him, and as soon as she had a chance, her hands began to fondle his bare torso. She leaned down and began to kiss his pecs and rib cage. As she held this stance, she felt him trying to pull off her shirt, so she raised her arms to make it as easy as possible. She came back up to again passionately kiss his face again.

Then, she felt herself picked up and placed on the kitchen counter. She wrapped her legs around his waist as they continued to force as much bodily contact as possible. She felt him undo her bra and slide down to her breasts. He was kissing them tenderly, his hands assisting in the pleasure overload beginning to build inside her. She exhaled seductively. She began to squeeze every inch of his back that she could grab hold of. Then, she guided his face back to hers and they continued to lock lips.

Now, she shifted her hands down and began undoing his belt. Locke shimmied to let the pants and underwear drop to the ground without moving. He then leaned a little more forward into Celes.

Suddenly, she stopped and gave him a very seductive stare. “Locke?”

He returned the stare. “Celes?”

“We’re not in the bedroom yet. Fix that.”

He laughed, pulled off her belt in one quick motion, dropped her skirt and panties, and quickly picked her up as he finally kicked off the second pants leg. She immediately had her legs wrapped around his groin and tried to shift her legs and hips up in such a way that she could feel his happiness between them. Suddenly, they both let out a moan. She had succeeded.

Locke quickly carried Celes to the bedroom.

After almost two hours and multiple orgasms a piece, they both lay in bed, panting, smiling, and exhausted. Celes curled up under Locke’s right arm, her right leg now lovingly crossed over his. Her hands were resting peacefully on his chest. Locke was watching her, smiling.

Finally, she looked up at him, smiling. “Ye gods, Locke, you need to break things more often.”

He chuckled. “I’d like to find less risky and expensive ways to do that.”

“What did cause you to turn into a wild stallion? I need to remember that,” she moaned. Her last climax still hadn’t completely dissipated.

He smiled. “I think it felt like old times again.”

“How so?”

“Just the whole thing. Me being really goofy and shortsighted, you being much more levelheaded. Something just clicked when you got stern and it felt like it did back in Maranda.” He slowly breathed. “And in that moment I never wanted you more.”

“Well, I’ll certainly agree to that,” she chuckled. She pulled him in for another kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you,” he replied, as he moved his nose side to side across hers.

She slightly moaned. She knew that gesture. She also knew he would recognize her sound as a yes.

Before they had realized it, it was early afternoon the next day. Their activities had pretty much been sex, dinner, sex, sleeping, sex, breakfast, and more sex. They lay in bed, talking like they had in the best times of their relationship.

Suddenly, Locke sat up in bed. “Celes, did you hear that?”

“Hear what, my love?”

“I swear it sounded like someone unlocking and opening the front door.”

“Huh? That’s odd. I wasn’t expecting guests yet,” Celes started. Suddenly, she brought her hands to her face. “Oh gods, today _is_ Thursday, not Wednesday. Shit, just get under the covers, quickly!”

They had no sooner pulled the comforter up to cover their bodies when into the room barged Relm. “Hey Celes, ready for-“ she stopped mid-sentence, stunned at the sight in front of her. Their disheveled hair matched with the clothes she had found outside. “Oh wow! Man, I’m sorry I interrupted this! I’ll come back in like, ten minutes. That should be enough time, right?” She quickly closed the door. Celes and Locke groaned in laughter when they heard Relm outside shout, “It’s okay, Grandpa, they’re alive and quite busy as you can see from the mess in the kitchen!”

Locke laughed. “Only twelve. What are they doing here anyways?”

“They wanted to come surprise you, and I couldn’t say no.”

They laughed.


	40. Return to Figaro

Celes trembled as she got dressed. Sixteen weeks had seemed so strange and surreal. But that was how long she had been away from the Council and her duties as Vice Magistrate. Sixteen weeks since she had left to get him back. Twelve or thirteen weeks since she had returned home with him. Ten weeks since he had been given his clean bill of health. Seven weeks since they had finally recaptured their physical touch. Four weeks since their romantic trip to Jidoor. Even now, she was uncomfortable as she began her preparations for a trip to Figaro. It was time to get connected again to the political environment. She knew she could easily get back into the groove quickly, and also expected to receive several concessions from her fellow counterparts as a welcome back gift. The Figaro Council was the easy part.

This was also going to be the first couple of days away from Locke since she had seen him in a hospital bed, and the idea sickened her a little.

She had discussed the feeling with Gordon last week, who had come out as promised to check on both of them. He attributed it as a physical manifestation of her fear that returning to being Vice Chancellor had placed her in a vulnerable position where Locke might leave again. Gordon assured her that with time and repetition, her fears would cease and then the physical discomfort would go away with them.

Even Locke had supported her return to the policy arena. He knew, despite her repeated attempts to argue otherwise, that she missed helping Figaro. He had attempted to comfort her in the issue. “Relax, sweetie, the furthest I’m running is from these damn texts. Gothic architecture sure looks pretty but not in essay form!” The slap reminded him that his running away was still not an acceptable punch line to any joke.

Celes looked at herself in the mirror and grumbled. She didn’t like how her formal Council outfits looked on her. They just didn’t glisten and command like she believed they had in the past. Perhaps this too would pass with repetition?

“Despite how much I hated watching you leave, getting to see you dressed like that was always a positive.” Locke had walked in, smiling.

Celes frowned. “I look dreadful.”

“Then stop and pick up some new outfits. Your sense of style has only impressed everyone.” He walked up behind her and placed his arms around her. He stared at her reflection. She began to smile. If he could find something beautiful in those outfits, then she could put forth a little more optimism.

“Lots of nerves with this.”

“Aye, I’m sure. You will do fine.”

She sighed. “As stupid as it sounds, I still slightly worry about if ‘we’ will do fine.”

“Don’t worry too much,” he whispered into her ear, smiling as he kissed its lobe. “I made you breakfast before you go.”

She turned around, both sad and happy. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this slice of paradise to end.”

“It never will,” he warmly replied, giving her a hug. He looked at the mirror, watching her slowly return the favor. He then propped up her face for a kiss. “I know it’s wishful thinking right now, but please try not to worry.”

The two ate and talked. The conversation felt more stilted than normal, but both understood the situation well enough.

Soon, it was time. Before she stepped up into her carriage, she gave Locke one more passionate kiss. “I love you so much, Locke.”

“I love you too, Celes. I can’t wait to hear about the current events when you return. I’ll probably also need some help with vector algebra,” he chuckled. She then nibbled his ear lobe, sending chills through his body. Until he had begun his intensive math courses, they never knew just how much of an intense turn on it was for Celes when she was able to help him with the study material. It had helped set the mood a few times over the past couple of weeks.

“We’ll study together when I return.”

One final kiss, and he helped her into the carriage. She watched him wave goodbye as the house disappeared down the street. She nervously awaited her return to Figaro.

 

“Welcome back, Vice Chancellor.”

“Thank you, barely made it here on time. I hope Doma has been doing well.”

“Hmph, we’ve been doing too fine. The rest of the Council cares not. All they talk about is the latest excursion they took to Albrook, like visiting historical sites under Utok supervision is something to be proud of. Finally, someone who can effectively balance the power throughout Figaro has returned to the chamber.” Doma’s Vice Chancellor frowned. “That isn’t too fair. Tess did a decent job. She has the mind for this but not the passion you possess.”

“I can’t teach that.”

“I expected better inspiration,” he chuckled.

“I think I can muster that now,” she replied, smiling.

Aside from a sympathy card, this was the first time Celes had spoken to the Doma Vice Chancellor since everything changed. He hadn’t changed, though. He still mixed his respect with a twinge of antipathy and sarcastic charm.

He smiled. “Then I cannot wait for the afternoon session. The chamber misses lively debate. It warmed my heart to hear he returned. It will only strengthen you and Figaro in the process. I hope that strength and warmth flourishes.”

She smiled back. “Thank you, it feels like a large weight off my shoulders and soul.”

Together, they walked into the chamber.

 

The avalanche of applause from the standing ovation nearly made her cry. Everyone had joined together to pour their happiness into the room, a stark contrast from the inevitable banter and mudslinging soon to replace it. Celes wondered why they all couldn’t join in unison about other pressing matters.

Finally, Edgar held up his hand. She recognized it as a gesture he had coyly stolen from Alma. He finally announced, “Let’s get this session going, now that we’ve properly paid our respects to Vice Chancellor Chere. Jidoor, you have the floor.”

“Yes, Your Majesty! Esteemed members of the council, once again Utok is up to their attempts at military muscle on the seas. They now demand tariffs on goods to leave our port!” Celes heard the groans and boos. “Your Majesty, I propose a resolution where we warn them that this aggression shall be crushed by our naval might!” Applause filled the room.

Celes looked at Edgar, studying his face. Locke had provided her some insight into how to read his emotions. She also understood why Locke chuckled as he assured her Edgar was not a difficult nut to crack. He was uncomfortable with what sounded like a reasonable request. She quickly perused her notes to see if something had come up with Utok that she had missed.

“Vice Chancellor,” Edgar began, “it does pain me to hear they try to do this. Sir Kingsley, can you confirm these reports?”

Celes couldn’t believe it. That man was in here?

Suddenly, a sound echoed in the chamber from a newly installed speaker system. She instantly recognized the voice. “Your Majesty, the claim is true, it seems.”

“Brilliant. Your thoughts?”

“Reports state it is nothing more than some saber rattling. Our recommendation is to hold in our current position. We hold the might and leverage going forward.”

“Fantastic. Thank you for your counsel. The Vice Chancellor of Jidoor looks like he wants to tar and feather you. The floor is his.”

Celes tried to listen, but she couldn’t stop thinking about that morning when he had barged into the house and turned her life upside down. Inside, she felt anger at the man who had sent Locke to New Narshe. She also felt happy to hear the voice of the man who had tried everything he could to pull him out of that city and had come about as close as he could’ve. In any event, she now felt confused on how he was being utilized by Edgar given his decision to shut down Shadow Ops.

Suddenly, he made eye contact with her. Celes held her posture. Edgar looked down briefly, almost ashamed. Then, he raised his head and continued to listen to what the Jidoor Vice Chancellor was saying. She heard him mutter, “Stay civil now.”

Then Celes began to look around. The room was looking at her. When had she blanked from the debate? The crackle through the speaker brought back her focus. “Vice Chancellor Jewell, it’s okay! The floor is yours.”

Celes cleared her throat. She knew she had to be honest. “Actually, it’s Vice Chancellor Chere today.”

“Vice Chancellor Chere! My lady, it is amazing to hear your voice again! I hear my boy is fully fixed up and now soon to be an architect! Simply wonderful!”

“Kingsley, I apologize. I haven’t been brought up to speed on this. What exactly is your role here today?”

“Ah, yes, hmm this is awkward.”

“He runs our counterintelligence program,” Edgar quickly spoke up. “They are called Shadow Ops. They’ve changed up their mission and purpose over the last couple of months from what you know of them.”

“I see,” Celes murmured. Edgar sighed. No amount of anticipation could have helped him handle her reaction, and he knew it. “Sir Kingsley, do you have reports on why Utok would be saber rattling in the first place?”

“There are two, Vice Chancellor. First, the ocean demographics have shifted much of the flourishing fishing trade into our waters, hurting the economies of their coastal cities. Second, after discovering their two spies in Doma last week, they communicated in their government a desire to flex their capabilities. This is their modus operandi with us in policy.”

“I see,” she murmured. "Your Majesty, are our relations with Utok strained to the point that they now openly flaunt this behavior?”

“Vice Chancellor! You mean to say you haven’t been keeping any tabs on our world during your leave of absence? I hope you understand that your lack of care against Figaro shines here!” shouted Jidoor’s Vice Chancellor.

Celes closed her eyes in shame. _Perhaps I should permanently turn this over to Tess_.

“I tire of your pointless banter!” Doma’s Vice Chancellor suddenly shouted. “Why should her needed sabbatical be looked down on by a man who thinks liquor and Albrook floozies for a week constitutes successful foreign diplomacy?”

Celes opened her eyes, floored by what she had heard. The chamber had erupted in laughter as Jidoor’s Vice Chancellor stood there equally stunned. “How dare you!” he shouted. “I suppose you believe anything that suits your desires. I wouldn’t disrespect Figaro in ways our junior partner seems to think is acceptable.”

Then the speaker crackled. “Jidoor? I’d tread very carefully on this topic. South Figaro will be back to peak condition soon enough. Even now, her love for the kingdom shines brighter than yours. Trust me, I know what happened in Albrook, and out of respect for you I won’t divulge the details in front of His Majesty.”

The room gasped. Jidoor’s Vice Chancellor had turned beet red. He immediately took his seat. “I apologize for my outburst,” he said quickly to Celes.

She didn’t know how to handle this conversation at all. “It’s okay, I think. I am a bit confused, though. Another session or two should knock the rust off?”

“Glad that’s settled,” Edgar announced. “Vice Chancellor, the political situation with Utok is on pins and needles right now. These little provocations are applying a lot of pressure on both kingdoms, and the concerns of war have begun to form.”

Celes nodded. “I see. Well, Mr. Kingsley, I assume you run intelligence on Utok. Any words to confirm or ease these fears?”

“Vice Chancellor, we are currently attempting to establish concrete evidence to what our reports suggest, that Utok fears war with us right now.”

Celes closed her eyes again. She had to think quickly on how to best mesh these ideas in diplomacy. The Kazen had been easy. Why did Utok always give her trouble? They, for some reason, seemed to enjoy these flippant wastes of aggression. They were Imperial in nature.

She then opened her eyes as she thought of the Empire. “Your Majesty, after some deliberation, I feel like a resolution delivered will do nothing.” She began to hear a couple of boos. “That won’t drop their activity, only encourage it. I move to send two of our smaller combat ships to the region.”

The room became silent. Jidoor’s Vice Chancellor looked both excited and nervous at the same time. “Vice Chancellor, I am taken aback with pride how you support our city and lands! Still, do you really intend to risk inciting them into escalating danger?”

“I don’t.”

“Then please explain your thought process to me. I’m not sure I see where we stay out of harm’s way.”

“That isn’t easy. It largely hinges on,” she grimaced, “trusting His Majesty and Mr. Kingsley on their reports. Utok’s actions speak of an Imperial reasoning where our words are not treated as deterrence. If they don’t desire war, our two ships should suffice to stand them down. They’re only interested in seeing if we would act like this. I believe doing so will most likely draw them to a negotiating table, where we can actually do more beneficial diplomacy.” She looked at Jidoor’s Vice Chancellor. “As scary as it is for me to admit, we have to show that we are ready to attack if needed, but we need not risk a whole fleet.”

Murmurs resonated through the chamber. Finally, Nikeah’s Vice Chancellor stood up. He was nervous. “Vice Chancellor, I will admit that it does feel strange for you to advocate such a path.” He then began to applaud. “But I will trust those General instincts. Your Majesty, I second the move for fleet deployment!”

Edgar sighed. “It shall be considered. Our session tomorrow shall see my decision on how to use force. Sir Kingsley, do we stand a chance in naval battle?”

“If it came down to it, we’d win the sea. Based off our capabilities, though, we’d have the greatest success rate battling their larger, slower ships closer to land and removing their mobility. That could risk some damage to our coastline. Meeting them near the lands south of Nikeah would be optimal.”

“I see. We shall end the session now. I apologize for the shortened run today. Tomorrow, we will pick this back up. Council is adjourned,” Edgar pronounced. He then left the chamber abruptly.

Celes was none too pleased. He had avoided eye contact with her since her recommendation.

 

Outside the chamber, Celes felt a tug from behind. She turned around to see Terra, full of energy and smiles. “Vice Chancellor, I can’t believe it! You’re here!” She quickly hugged Celes. “It has been too long!”

Celes smiled. “Terra, we entertained you and Edgar a little over a week ago.”

“My argument still stands!”

“Very well, Your Highness.”

The two entered Edgar’s study. Terra had suggested it as a private place for them to catch up. Celes still loved its ambience. “Some tea for you, Celes?”

“Certainly! How are things with you and Edgar?”

“They are going well enough. Edgar has been on edge, recently. Other than that, I’m happy to say he has definitely been spending more time each day with me. I think you and Locke finally rubbed off on him!”

“That’s fantastic, Terra!” she replied. Suddenly, she felt a rush of coldness. “But his behavior today was very unexpected.”

Terra sighed. “I imagine something Utok came up?”

“It did. Disrupting Jidoor’s ships due to things beyond their control.”

“It’s frightening. They really seem intent on forcing us to show our possible military muscle.”

“I think I found a way to force them to negotiate.”

Terra frowned. “My gods, I hope so. We have to show them a willingness to do so. Our strong relations with the Kazen have probably set them off. Edgar fears they will demand a pledge of neutrality in the Kazen and Utok war.”

“Terra, that’s easy to scoff at. Much like Jidoor’s poor resolution today.”

“I hope so. Gosh, I hate politics. Let’s talk about better topics. How are Locke’s classes going?”

“He’s seventh in his class. He wouldn’t admit it to me, but I do think he will spend these three days doing nothing but studying to move up, now that I can’t distract him.”

“I assume the distractions have made you both very happy?”

“You’d better believe it,” Celes laughed.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut. They both looked over in surprise. There was Edgar, staring at them. “Terra? Celes?”

“I apologize, my love. We just needed a safe spot to catch up.”

“It’s not a problem. I will leave you two.”

“Edgar, wait,” Celes suddenly spoke up. She looked at him. He looked uncomfortable. “Forget about the chamber for now and just be your normal gentlemanly self.” She gave him a hug. “It is good to see you, Your Majesty!”

That got a smile. “Can’t be a normal visit without reminding you to stop that, can it. It’s good to see you back in the chamber. I pray that you and Locke are doing well?”

“We are, Edgar. He’s battling his school. The math is the only real threat to his graduation, as I see it. But he’s got me to help that, and his mental acuity is pretty sharp with everything else. I guess Shadow Ops did something great for him there!” She stopped and closed her eyes, sighing. She had forgotten about Kingsley’s presence in the chamber.

Edgar matched her expressions. “I apologize, Celes. I didn’t even think of you finding out like that about Kingsley. I had intended on telling you this afternoon when I met up with you and Terra.”

“So what is his official role now?”

“He is my Security Advisor like before, only now our priority is counterintelligence once again. Aside from our deep cover agents throughout the world, our field agents operate in a much smaller sphere now so that I don’t have to relive another Locke or Finn.”

She stared at him. Her anger was coming back. Still, she held her breath. She had forgiven Locke for doing it. “I’ll bury the hatchet here.”

Edgar smiled slightly. “Thank you.”

“I am curious as to why the Shadows are still in business, however.”

“Because Alma was right. Without them, we are behind in the game. We lose advantages over our enemies without them. So we had to make a lot of changes to the program after losing one spy and Locke.”

“I’ll trust you, Edgar. I’ve been pretty out of the loop. I know it upsets you to keep them around, but I imagine there’s a good explanation somewhere in there,” Celes grumbled. “When did they begin reporting to the council during sessions?”

“About two months ago. The council demanded to know what intelligence I was using to guide policy. I obliged, and we all began to utilize the network to determine how to best protect ourselves from Utok and attempt to masque our blossoming partner in the Kazen.”

Celes looked down, almost defeated. This was not the Figaro she was expecting to see upon her return. It was almost like little had changed. There were still enemies threatening their borders and there were still invisible warriors running amok throughout the world. The only change was that Edgar had seemingly embraced it. She knew her position on the council would now only mean anything because he and the rest of her peers saw her as a General like they had earlier that day. She had hoped never to need that training again.

Now it felt like destiny.

Terra hugged her, empathetic in Celes’ painful tugs from the past. “I know this has to be painful for you in more ways than Locke. I wish I could say or do something to make your return to work a little better for you.”

“I never wanted to go back to being a military mind. I hated myself for what it led me to do for the Empire. I felt déjà vu today and it frightens me.”

“Celes, please look me in the eyes,” Edgar suddenly said. “I thought the world would’ve learned better from Kefka and the Empire too. I never expected to have to send my ships around to make it look like I’d attack someone else. I thought we as the people of the world could get around conflict. But I guess there are always some who crave power and are willing to disrupt a chance at peace to achieve it. Celes, as much as it pains me to say it, I need you more than ever for Figaro. That training you hated may well be the only thing that keeps our people safe.”

“Edgar, I don’t think you get it. That training will not keep us safe. Nothing keeps you safe from war.”

“Perhaps so, but our best chances at winning that war come from brilliant minds like yours. Please, Celes, I know today has shaken your faith in me and Figaro. I worry that it’ll drive you away from the castle and out of the chamber. Please, we all need you in there.”

Celes pondered what Edgar had said. He was right on the money: she had been considering leaving her position, especially after learning that the kingdom she served now felt more like an unstable acrobat balancing on a dangerous peak. She didn’t want to be the one who risked the lives of Figaro’s military and civilians. “I really need to take a moment and decide if I could handle that again.”

“Please take all the time you need,” Terra replied. “It’s a lot to ask you. It hurts us to do so, given your history.”

“I understand, Terra. I’m just scared right now. Of the world, of Shadow Ops.”

“I think we all are. Memories of the end of the world, of Kefka, of the ugliness we’ve all seen have come back. It is scary.”

Celes took one more long sigh. “Okay, Edgar, you’ve got my support and my battlefield training at your disposal. I can’t sit idly by and let the people possibly suffer by my inaction.” She grumbled. “Ye gods, Locke would be laughing if he heard me say that.”

Edgar smiled. “We’ll keep that from him, then. Celes, thank you. I don’t know how I can make this sacrifice up to you.”

“It isn’t a sacrifice. I’m just destined to deal with humanity’s ugliness, I guess.”

“We all are, Celes,” Terra muttered. “We’ll be there with you no matter what happens.”

Celes shook their hands and left the study. She needed some space to breathe. Once she found a balcony, she clutched her abdomen. The worrying pain had returned. She held steadfast for the next few moments until the irritation left. She closed her eyes. _Two more days of this for now, and then back to Locke._ That made her smile.


	41. An Unlikely Partnership

The next day, she found herself staring at a man she once wished many misfortunes on. He knew it through her eyes as well.

Celes and Kingsley would be working together a lot more.

Edgar had appointed her as the head of the Council Intelligence Committee. She now had the responsibilities to communicate directly with Kingsley on a regular basis on enemy activity throughout the world. Truthfully, she didn’t mind that knowledge as much as she minded the man who she now had to learn it from. He was still the man who had led Figaro into the shadows, and despite everything he had done for Locke, her more idealistic viewpoints still ran counter to his.

Kingsley bowed his head. “Vice Chancellor, I assume this does not please you.”

Celes huffed. “Not much, but then again the world’s darkness angers me more.”

“I only hope you can forgive me for my past comments and actions for what they brought upon you and Locke.”

“Kingsley,” she said in a very stern tone, “I will let bygones be bygones. I know you built him up to be able to be strong enough to support himself again. That will suffice for us to have a professional understanding.”

“Of course, my lady. Follow me into the basement of the castle. That is where our new headquarters is.”

As they entered past the new security checkpoint, Celes found herself in a room much like the one Shadow Ops used to call Mission Control. This time, however, it was much bigger. Only about half the room was in use. It had a very similar setup. She surveyed the room. As she overheard conversations, she pieced together that a couple of missions were underway and that there wasn’t too much danger involved.

Kingsley brought her to a table where several pieces of equipment lay. He explained the details of the new versions of the ETCH and DATE that had been developed. Better clarity in communication, faster data transfers, and now they burned at even higher temperatures to ensure some of the materials in the Shadows’ new uniforms fully disintegrated. Celes tried not to be impressed, but deep down she marveled at the amount of technology and power that resided inside such small devices.

Finally, the two entered a small conference room. Two other members of Shadow Ops were in there, sitting with portfolios in front of them. Their nametags read LAPLACE, TONY and SABATO, DANIEL. She shook both of their hands. “It is a pleasure to officially meet you both.”

“Ma’am, the pleasure is ours,” Sabato replied.

They all took seats. Kingsley began the meeting. “Sabato, any updates on Utok movements?”

“The warships seemed to do the trick. Our vessels had no problems last night.”

“Outstanding. Any communications with them in regards to diplomacy?”

“They usually take a day or so to do anything like that. We’re still waiting.”

“It will probably be by sunset,” Celes interrupted. “Goes with their plan to try and force decisions by the end of the normal work day.”

Sabato nodded. “Pretty much on point. Nothing else to report on Utok directly involving us. They did lose some ground in the northeast to the Order. They’ve been battling for well over a month now.”

“Fanatstic. Keep up the good work,” Kingsley replied.

Celes began to study Kingsley. He sounded nothing like the bombastic, flamboyant man Locke had made him out to be. Kingsley then turned and began to study her. He smiled. “I know. I’m more professional now. Lost a lot of the zing in my voice that day. Hope that clarifies it for you.”

Celes nodded, but began to flash a smile that showed she was impressed. _I can see why Locke warmed to him already_.

He then turned to LaPlace. “Security threats report?”

“Nothing too major right now. Utok propaganda has turned up again in Nikeah, but the people aren’t buying it. Big thing is that the Kazen secured the Nether Stone we found in the mountains.”

She had practically forgotten about the Nether Stones and Diabolos, and she definitely didn’t expect to hear that Figaro had found the one in the mountains. “Wait, repeat that?”

LaPlace nodded and smiled. “I’ll bring you up to speed, Vice Chancellor.” He then told her about the discovery of the stone in the Figaro Mountains. It had a gold hue and matched the description of the black onyx now kept by Utok. Its discovery had sent shockwaves through Shadow Ops. At that point, the data had been theoretical, perhaps a posturing point Utok had conceived to try and earn leverage. The discovery of the second stone had instead found a lot of unrest in the kingdom. The very threat of an unstoppable force was now a very real possibility. By an agreement he had already held with Alma, though, Edgar had agreed to turn over the stone to the Kazen, who he felt could protect it better from Utok. Geography and defensive capabilities factored into that decision. Plus, while they had both pledged to not be allies on the world stage, every Shadow knew what really went on behind the scenes. The only other reports they knew on the Stones came few and far between from two deep cover agents. Utok had found another stone in their realm, one with a brownish glow. That made three discovered, with one still hiding in the Hornata Mountains and the fifth in the northeast, on an island that was now a focus of intense fighting between Utok and the Kazen.

That was about as close as a true threat to world security as LaPlace could report.

Celes thanked them for the reports and continued to fill out more paperwork for Kingsley. She grumbled as she signed the release for him to come to their house in South Figaro in times of emergency. She also grumbled when she was fitted for her own ETCH and DATE, though she began to smile when Kingsley assured her that she could utilize them and their new functionality to join in on meetings from the comfort of her own house if she so chose. All they had to do was sweep the house and ensure on a safe location within where she could not be overheard. “After what you two went through, I will not allow you to just run up to the castle on a routine basis. We will use our technology to ensure you as much comfort in this position, my lady.”

At the end of the meeting, she and Kingsley walked out of the command center and back up into the castle. She shook his hand again. “Kingsley, it has been strange, but I think we’ll be all right. Thank your men for being patient with me today. Much better than the council.”

“I do appreciate that, my lady. Let me know if I can do anything for you.” He then frowned. “Perhaps something for indigestion? You’ve been favoring your stomach since we went down there.”

“It goes away. Doctor from New Narshe thinks they’re a manifestation of the bad things I have to deal with now that I am back as Vice Chancellor.”

Kingsley’s frown showed he wasn’t convinced. “Well, I wont argue. I’m not a doctor. I just hope you feel better.”

“I do appreciate the concern. It just left again. Probably will flare up again in about ten when I return to the chamber. And every time I have to deal with intelligence.”

He chuckled. “Well, I do regret being a source of discomfort once again. Please tell my boy that I hope all is well. Perhaps I’ll hire him to design some buildings for our organization.”

She smiled. “He’d love that, I’m sure. Take care, Mr. Kingsley.”


	42. Three Weekends and a Plan

A day later and she now found herself back at home. She got out of the carriage exhausted. The council had gone against her wishes in compromising with Utok on fishing rights in the waters off of each coast. The rest of the council had wanted them punished for the threats they had made, and that sentiment had won out. Celes knew, though, what Matz had taught her. Utok hadn’t gotten anything, and that would only stir more hostilities. She would probably be paged several times that weekend on new Utok shenanigans. It was late and she was hungry.

All of that disappeared, though, when she realized he was at the door, smiling. She smiled back and ran up to Locke’s arms. “Locke, my love, it’s so great to see you!”

“Celes, welcome home.” He felt her swoon as he said that. “Some delicious soup and bread is waiting for you in the dining room!”

“Ye gods, you know me too well. Ugh, I ate so terribly this week!”

“Sounds like I need to ramp up the cooking this weekend so you can bring more food! Did Edgar fire the kitchen staff there? Their food has always been fantastic.”

“No, I just had no interest in the salads and soups. I ate more meat and potatoes than I think I’ve had in my entire life. It was just faster to eat that and not feel overwhelmed at the many meetings I now have to attend.”

Locke rubbed her shoulders. “Then let’s eat now. After, I have a full body massage planned for you if you so desire.” He felt her shiver in happiness. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Dinner felt amazing. She wanted to know more about his few days first. As she had guessed, he had spent most of the time at school and at home studying. The deck had been extended out a little more, closer to completion. She smiled when Locke grumbled about only moving up to fifth in the class. His competitive fire was clearly lit, but he acknowledged that he was still progressing toward graduation. His midterms started in eleven days. “Kind of boring, but gains were made,” he chuckled. “How are Edgar and Terra?”

She sighed. “They are both doing well. I was a little angry with Edgar, and will probably be for some time. This one’s going to take a while. Best get some tea brewing.”

“I’ll start it, then. What’s up?”

“Edgar named me the head of the Council Intelligence Committee.”

“Probably because you’re the one with the intelligence.”

“Funny, Locke.”

He came back and gave her a quick kiss. “I apologize my dear. I’ll tone down the jokes. So you now have to deal with the reports on international activities?”

“Yes, and it makes me angrier than I expected.”

“I am sorry. I imagine he sees it as a natural fit with your training. Are you okay with the title? I’m sure you could ask him to pick someone else.”

“Given what I’ve learned over the past two days from them, I know why Edgar wants me in that position. I can filter out his bullshit so Edgar only gets the necessary stuff. Even after that, the Council still didn’t listen to our recommendations today.” Suddenly, she let out a moan of pleasure and surprise. Locke had begun the massage early in her arms. “Oh wow, that’s amazing.”

“Glad you approve. Hope it lowers your stress. What happened today?”

“Utok. They expect some middle ground to be met, and the council voted to give them a political middle finger instead. Now I expect to be contacted a lot this weekend when they decide to act up again.”

“So we should expect visitors? I can pick up some more stuff at the market tomorrow.”

“Actually, that shouldn’t be a problem,” Celes replied. She winced. Locke studied her. She knew he’d find out eventually. She reached into her purse and showed him her new ETCH and DATE. “New versions apparently. They don’t want me to come to Figaro just for intelligence briefs or reports. They want me to be in a more comfortable setting.”

Locke suddenly smiled. “Kingsley’s running Edgar’s intel, isn’t he.”

“Yes, he is. Shadow Ops are still active. They just have brand new guidelines on where and how they operate. He reports new developments to me, and now I have to use them to figure out how we are using our military and navy.”

Locke heard the discomfort in her voice. He continued the massage with her hands. “So that brought up a lot of bad memories.”

“Yes. I never wanted to do that again.”

“May I ask what swayed you to do it?”

“I guess I just knew I was best equipped for the job. And I hate having that skill set.”

“If it saves more Figaro lives, then it’s a good thing to know. I know it sucks, but it frankly frustrates me more that they just flippantly ignored you from the start.”

Celes pondered that. Locke was right. She hadn’t really processed that aspect of her frustration. She leaned forward and gave him a kiss. “Well, it just means more messes to deal with, I guess.”

“How’s Kingsley doing?”

“He asked about you,” she chuckled. “Apparently he knows you’re an architect in training.”

“Wouldn’t put it past him. And how is he?”

“Surprisingly formal. I almost stopped believing your stories on his behavior.”

“Man, he was the lifeblood of Shadow Ops. Wonder what happened?”

“You did, Locke. Said that the day he lost an agent and you really got to him.”

“Wait, someone else got caught? That’s a shame.”

“No, someone else actually died in Utok territory the same day you were caught. Some young girl named Amanda Finn. They just killed her quickly, apparently.” Suddenly, she stopped herself. The massage had ended abruptly. Locke was standing there, clearly feeling hurt at what she had just said. “Locke? Are you okay?”

Celes then found herself wondering about what she had quickly realized. Locke knew exactly who Finn was, and her death had struck him hard. She now felt shame at wondering just how close the two had gotten in Shadow Ops. She finished up the shame cycle by being upset at herself for thinking of this while delivering the sad news. She had to comfort him now. She began massaging his hands. “I assume you knew her?”

“Aye, I did,” he muttered as he closed his eyes. He still held a pained look. “We graduated in the same class. Probably as close to a friend as I made in that organization. Hell of a Shadow. That’s not fair, she was a friend. Probably my best friend while I was away from here.”

Celes hugged him, half of love and half of sympathy. There was, however, a twinge of jealousy in her mind. “So you two were… close?” She winced. _Ye gods, Celes, can you make it any more obvious?_

Luckily, Locke was stuck in his own thoughts and had missed her innuendo. “Yeah, I’d say that. I confided a lot of my feelings for you to her. She did the same with her past fiancée. She was quite a spitfire. Short, brash, stocky, and had a mouth that would make Nikeah hagglers blush. But she was a damn good Shadow. Pretty good rivalry through school and work.” He dropped his head. “Gods, Stokely must’ve been devastated.”

“Stokely?”

“He was probably the only other Shadow I ever really could call a friend. He and Finn started dating secretly about five days into the school. They were much closer by the time I went to New Narshe. I helped him pick out the engagement-“ Locke began to cry. He felt Celes pull her arms around him tighter. “Sorry, I never expected that news. They actually believed in the Shadows from the start. I just hurt for them.”

“It’s okay. I’m just sorry for your loss,” she replied. “And, I’m sorry I pried so far into your friendship with her.”

Locke suddenly looked at her, a look of amusement behind the tears in his eye. “Wait a second.”

“Locke, please.”

“You were jealous of her just now?”

“No!” she exclaimed. After a few moments of his trained eye, she grumbled. “Okay, fine, you already know the answer. I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me, especially given the subject matter.”

She stopped talking. She had no choice. His lips prevented her from doing so. Finally, he released his grip on them. “It’s honestly not a problem, my love.” He then chuckled. “Nothing came of it. I just didn’t have a strong heart like yours to be able to move on and find someone else.”

Her eyes grew cold. “To move on and find someone else?”

Locke grew nervous. He normally didn’t miss so badly on his reads. “Sorry, I guess I wrongly assumed you and the Vicelord were an item for a period of time.”

Celes closed her eyes, grumbling. Then she opened them, remorse in her eyes. “Sorry, it isn’t fair for me to get angry when I started off jealous.” Then she gave him a suspicious look. “You thought we were an item?”

Locke scratched the back of his neck. “From what I had heard from the medics, yeah. You two enjoyed a lot of New Narshe night life, private dinners. He had a much different upbringing and also does have a gorgeous face and build. About as opposite from me as you could get, so it made sense to me. At least, up until a few moments ago.”

Celes stared blankly. “I honestly don’t know what to say… wait, you think he has a gorgeous face and build?”

“Well, yeah. Very good physique, and I swear his chin is chiseled from the same marble as our arches.” He heard her begin to laugh. “What, don’t tell me that didn’t cross your mind?”

“Oh it did. I just can’t believe it crossed yours!”

“Hey, I’m comfortable enough in my skin to acknowledge what actually passes for good looking men.”

They both laughed. She then smiled at him. “He was always a gentleman, and he did make a move to hold my hand at our first dinner. I just didn’t know he thought it was a date. I thought of you when he did, and he instantly withdrew his hand. After that, those outings were simply just as good friends.” She kissed his forehead. “Nothing ever came of it. My love and body have belonged only to you.”

“Don’t know what I did to be so lucky. I only hope I can continue to make every day all the more amazing for you.”

“You succeed, each and every day, my love.”

Later that night, they lay in bed, naked in their embrace. Celes was finally nodding off to sleep under his arm. Locke had finally dozed off a few minutes before. She happily sighed. She had survived her first days back in the Royal Council.

 

“Ye gods, Locke, I could get used to this too easily.”

“Well, Celes, five days of Edgar does result in aches and pains.”

The massage upon her return had quickly become Celes’ favorite perk from her first two trips to Figaro Castle. It had been another rough week. Twice she had been woken up by her ETCH’s beeping. Both times she had angrily screamed at Kingsley’s men about understanding what truly constituted an emergency. The third time, she recognized, was simply two Shadows having fun at her expense. The council, this time, had listened to her recommendations for negotiations, though. At the ceremony that day, she smiled with pride as Edgar and Utok’s representative, General Zagreb, officially signed off on what truly was a fair compromise on fishing in waters between their coastal cities. She also smiled as she saw Nikeah and Jidoor’s Vice Chancellors grumble throughout the ceremony.

She also looked forward to returning home to Locke’s kitchen. Once again, she had found herself cutting corners in her diet. That morning, she cried when she looked at herself in the mirror. She had started to put on weight, and it bothered her more than she cared to admit. She hadn’t thought of herself as someone so self conscious of her own image, but then again, since she had begun her military training she had always balanced an excellent diet with plenty of rigorous exercise. Now both of those traits had disappeared under the mountains of paperwork she now dealt with on a daily basis, and her once slender figure seemed destined to do the same.

Luckily for her, Locke didn’t mind at all when she complained about her appearance. “You look stunning, Celes, same as you always do.”

“I certainly don’t feel that way.”

“Well, you should feel blessed with what your body looks like. I’d be ravishing it right now if you weren’t so into the massage.”

“Don’t worry, my love. You’ll get your chance,” she spoke seductively.

Soon, they were in bed, out of breath and in a state of bliss. “Locke, thank you so much for everything these past two weeks.”

“You’re welcome. Work has been hitting you a lot harder than you care to admit.”

“Oh no, I admit it. It has been brutal.”

“Anything else I can do to help?”

“You’ve done so much already, my love. You should sit and relax tomorrow. I can go to the market and get us food for the house. It’ll feel good to do something for us that doesn’t involve a trip to Figaro.”

“Well, we could do that together. It’ll be a nice little break from my midterm preparations.”

Celes smiled. It seemed so simple an idea to do the grocery run together for once. “I think that’s a fantastic plan!”

The rest of the weekend was much needed relief for Celes except for a message involving analysis of a Utok infantry formation. As Monday morning came up again, though, the feeling of dread came back. There she was, looking at the mirror, upset with what she saw. A tear fell from her eye. Going back to work meant going back to a world that she had begun to despise.

Suddenly, she felt the loving embrace of Locke. She saw him rest his chin on her shoulder, eyes closed. She turned and kissed the side of his face. “I promise I’ll be okay.”

“I know you will. You’ll get the rhythm going.”

“I just hate being apart from you. I know it’ll help with the midterms this week.”

“Well, once those are done, I should be able to focus a little more time to getting the deck completed.” Locke suddenly looked up at Celes. “Hey Celes, do you think Kingsley can spare me an ETCH and DATE for my own?”

“Locke, we’ve been through this. No more spying, please.”

“What if I spied on you once a day?”

“Ah, I see! Hey, that’s not a bad idea! The only thing I see as a hiccup is if they were listening in to our conversations.”

“Couldn’t hurt to ask him on this trip. You should be back Thursday evening?”

“Yes. I will definitely ask him. We could set a time, maybe seven at night, to talk for a little while?”

“Absolutely. I hope it works. I’d hate to follow you up there next week to just get my own.”

“Locke!”

“Okay, okay, no spying jokes either,” he chuckled. “Breakfast is waiting for you, my dear.”

After eating, they shared a final embrace before Celes got into the carriage for her Monday morning commute. Locke waved until the carriage was no longer in sight. He then smiled.

_Midterms until Thursday. Time to get the books cracked open._

He also pulled out a piece of paper. It was a checklist of sorts. He thought about the paper for a while before scribbling something down.

 

This weekend, it was Locke’s turn to moan from a massage. Celes felt she had to reward his passing of his midterm exams and paper somehow. Plus, she had promised herself that she would be more involved on the weekends around the house and with Locke. “Such an amazing week’s performance deserves something.”

“Makes me wish I had midterms more often,” he giggled.

Celes smiled, then sighed. “Makes me wish it wasn’t Monday already tomorrow.”

“Can’t believe Kingsley thinks I’m not good enough for his new model.”

“No, he knew what we wanted to do with them. It is frustrating, but I agree that it sets a bad precedent.”

 

The next morning, Monday’s routine of her mirror gaze and his waiting to see the carriage disappear down the road happened as normal. This time, though, Locke collected his books and a new hidden pouch filled with roughly 20,000 gil. He would head to class and then, instead of heading home afterward, he would follow the list of directions he now had in his pocket.

_Plenty of time given that she’s not back until Thursday._

Locke enjoyed the classroom environment. The instructors were friendly and challenged him throughout the day to learn how to apply the knowledge he was gaining. The several labs and demonstrations he had already performed had been excellent in putting visual concrete proof of concepts to his texts. Much like Shadow Ops, he was also much older than most of his classmates, though he himself was trumped by the forty-six year old midlife crisis that sat behind him. He had grown fed up with textiles.

Classes were over at two on Mondays. Normally, Locke would either return home to study and fix up the house just a little more or remain back in a study group if he really struggled with the material from that day. Today, though, he had a new agenda. It would take three or so hours at least to accomplish.

Finally, by five thirty, he was home. He was very happy, nervous, excited, and worried. He looked at his paper. _Flowers, decorations, ingredients for her favorite meals, her favorite brandy, check. All being delivered tonight at around eight. Excellent. And this._ He felt his pocket and removed a small case from it. He opened it at the hinge and inspected the ring one more time. He knew it wouldn’t be the last time before she returned later that week. It had a silver band, and on top of it two smaller diamonds anchored a gorgeous larger diamond. He smiled and fidgeted nervously as he looked at it. As much as he believed he already knew her answer to the question he was going to ask her this weekend, he still prayed that the answer would be yes.


	43. Revelation

Celes fidgeted more than normal on this trip to see the Council. The paperwork pile had grown much larger. Now, all three Vice Chancellors had been requesting her to review their works and ideas. _Don’t they trust their own skills?_ She grumbled as she reviewed the new resolutions several coastal towns had adopted to combat the fishing compromise that was now law. Only an hour into the trip and Celes had hit a mental wall with the paperwork. _Maybe I can get Edgar to set up a gym or something for me to relieve stress in between meetings._ She shifted uncomfortably. Her chamber dress was now slightly tighter around her hips. She sighed. The routine she had developed was not going to cut it for much longer. She needed to learn how to separate the anxieties of work from her free time. Dr. Gordon would be there next weekend. She knew he would be able to help. Then she chuckled. _Might as well be proactive. Guess I’ll get some exercise clothes when I get there_. She smiled. The wave of discomfort had been defeated again. Celes then went back into the paperwork. Reading, signing, reviewing, laughing, cursing, rinse, repeat. Finally, she was through it all. She leaned back and dozed off. She still had another hour or so until she was at the castle.

 

“Perhaps our position ought to change a little, then,” Celes agreed.

“Vice Chancellor, I thought you worried this would embolden Utok?”

“It certainly might; however, a small loss for us is worth it to ensure they also receive something in this negotiation. Their frustration at our militia is understood given the exercises happened in a region we were not allowed to be in. The squadron leader already took responsibility for it. Neutral or not, we have set up that part of the Serpent Trench to be demilitarized. We look bad enough. We’ll look worse if we don’t support their efforts to combat the unusual amounts of erosion occurring outside Tzen. And it doesn’t hurt us to show support for their capital city in this regard, given that’s all they are asking for.”

Kingsley nodded. “Our data supports this conclusion as well.” He smiled. “I swear, your memory and analytical skills are among the best I’ve ever seen.”

“Well, I still don’t like utilizing it for diplomacy that has a military edge attached to it.”

“I understand. I will support your decision wholeheartedly at the Council in ten. LaPlace and Sabato, thank you both again for your diligence. Order the department home a half hour early today and tomorrow so that everyone gets a little break.” Kingsley got up and everyone shook hands. He and Celes walked upstairs.

They were now in front of the chamber. Celes shook his hand. “Thank you for seeing my position.”

“You always make it easy to do so,” he smiled. Then, he held a finger to Celes’ lips as he snuck a box into her purse. “For Locke. Classified and against regulations. I hope it helps you two.” He winked.

Celes couldn’t control how big her smile got. She knew Locke would be ecstatic at finally having his own ETCH and DATE again. “What channel number?”

“None that we track. It only communicates directly with yours.”

Celes reached forward and hugged Kingsley. “Thank you. Your secret is safe with me. I will find a way to repay this.”

“Now now, I thought we agreed that I was in your debt. I still feel that way. Stop trying to tilt it so far into your favor again.”

“I’ll try. Time to return to the lobos’ den.”

They exchanged a final goodbye, and Celes entered the chamber.

 

Thirty minutes in, and she still hadn’t had a chance to talk. Nikeah and Jidoor had turned the most recent wrestling competition between the cities into a juvenile boys’ contest in the chamber and it was now shaping their policy positions on which lands needed more protection from the Utok menace. She sighed. Both needed protection, but Nikeah geographically made much more sense for the location of the new and improved combat ships that had just been commissioned.

She noticed Edgar nod to her. It was finally her turn to speak. “Your Majesty, I respect the passion to defend both cities, but right now Nikeah is more prone to Utok interest, given her status as a trade hub for all the world. They need both of His Majesty’s newest ships.”

“I notice a lack of vigor in those words!” shouted Jidoor’s Vice Chancellor. “Please don’t tell me this was calculated from the beginning!”

“In this case, it was,” she quickly retorted. “Once you finally clean up your harbor of derelict yachts and can support our military better, you can collect the next two.” She didn’t smile as the chamber laughed. “Sir Kingsley, I assume our data supports this?”

No response. Celes cleared her throat. “Sir Kingsley?”

“Yes, yes, I heard you. Sorry, new data and intelligence of utmost urgency has just come through. We are reviewing it during the assembly. I apologize. Now, more than ever, I definitely believe Vice Chancellor Chere is correct in shifting the newer ships to Nikeah.”

Celes didn’t like where this was going. “Sir Kingsley, please elaborate. It sounds like something I shouldn’t be kept in the dark about for much longer.”

“Your Majesty, I assume you’ve no objections?”

“Of course not, Sir Kingsley,” Edgar growled. “This is why I installed the damn speaker to begin with. What’s going on?”

“Your Majesty, esteemed council members, our deep cover agents in Utok have just reported that their fleet is retreating from the northeast island, ceding its control to the Kazen. The reports-“

“They found the Nether Stone?” Celes suddenly shouted.

“It seems so. A dark azure shine to it. They are currently transporting it to some location. We’re trying to ascertain it. All agents are doubling up on Utok intelligence for now. We’re trying to learn what their intentions are for the last two.”

Celes now had both of her hands embracing herself. The pains were a lot stronger. She bit her lip to relieve some of the pain. “Thank you, Sir Kingsley. Please keep me updated.”

“Great,” Edgar mumbled. “Looks like they do intend to battle us for the last stone and Hornata. Sir Kingsley, do what you can to see if Utok intelligence knows that we transported a stone to the Order. I also expect a report to be sent to Lord Alma in case she isn’t aware of their success.” He then turned to the council. “It makes sense right now to alert our people along our borders to expect more potential military activity. We will calculate a proper solution as soon as we…” His voice trailed off as he noticed Celes. “Celes? Are you okay? Do you need a moment?”

As soon as he asked, the council gasped. Celes had turned and run out of the chamber.

“Worry not, Your Majesty. I will follow,” Doma’s Vice Chancellor announced as he ran out after her.

Edgar tapped his ETCH. “Terra? Can you come to the chamber? Something is wrong with Celes. Oh, thank you my love! Just get in contact with her or Doma to find out where they are.”

 

Outside the chamber, Celes was now on one knee, leaning forward. She was now short of breath, and her insides hurt all over. It had started the instant she knew she would soon be drawing up battle plans against Utok. A flood of memories had returned from the Empire. She recalled her calm and collected demeanor as she laid out a battle plan against Maranda that resulted in only one Imperial death. She then recalled how she had visited the site of carnage and had similar pains. It was her first true military victory, and it had left the city and its people in ruin. It was in that visit that she grew to hate how she had so willingly trained to lead an army of thousands across the southern continent. Those were the seeds of her dissent.

She felt a comforting hand behind her. She looked up to see Doma’s Vice Chancellor. A look of pure worry possessed his face. “I apologize for scaring the council. This just brings up some very unhappy moments for me.”

“I imagine it does. Such passion for helping people find peace must’ve been bred from some ugly truths. But right now, we only care that you are well enough. What can I get for you?”

“I don’t know,” she muttered. “I don’t know what else can be done. I imagine this is how I’m going to feel for a long time, until we can control Utok.”

Suddenly, she heard Terra’s voice. “Celes? Edgar just told me. My gods, what’s going on?”

“Terra, I’m okay. I just had some painful flashbacks from Vector. They just haven’t gone away yet.”

“Where does it hurt?”

“Mainly my lower torso. I think I just need another moment and a glass of water.”

Terra gave her a shoulder rub. “But of course. We’ll help you through this… Celes?”

“Yes?”

“You look incredible pale and slightly green in the face.”

Celes touched her face, then grumbled. “Ye gods, I hate this.” She then lurched forward and vomited. Doma’s Vice Chancellor and Terra stepped back. Thirty seconds later, Celes finally spoke. “Can I get a towel or two for my face and the floor?”

Terra had already gotten them from an assistant. She handed them to Celes. Then she spoke. “Celes, we can get the floor for you.”

“Don’t be silly, this is my mess.”

After she was done cleaning up, she finally got back to her feet. Her whole torso now had an ache. She grumbled. “That hasn’t happened in a long time.”

“All the same, Vice Chancellor, I insist our doctors look at you. On this I will not waiver. I’ll inform His Majesty.”

“Really, Vice Chancellor, I think I will be okay. Utok requires attention.”

“So do you, Celes,” Terra interrupted. “And that is an order. Let’s see if our physicians can get you something to ensure you’re back to normal.”

 

Twenty minutes later, Celes grumbled again. She was now in a hospital bed. The doctor, a nice old man named Dr. Hockhousen, had taken blood and had given her an IV to help rehydrate her. She was feeling fine and simply wished to be back into the flow of work. Mostly, though, Celes caught herself wondering if she would be able to escape the pains and fears she now began to associate with her new position in Figaro’s defense strategy. At this rate, she knew she’d only become sicker if she couldn’t figure out how to subdue them. “Terra, this seems like overkill at this point.”

“Nothing’s overkill to make sure you’re feeling better.”

“I guess. Still, that Utok strategy won’t get done without me kicking them into high gear.”

“Dr. Hockhousen should be back any time now to discharge you. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to work yourself back up into a frenzy in no time.” She touched Celes’ shoulder. “My gods, please try and relax a little, please?”

“Much easier said than done.”

“Ah, there’s my beautiful patient,” Hockhousen announced as he walked into her examination room. “I trust you are feeling a little better?”

Celes smiled. “That I am. I appreciate everything, doctor. I assume everything came out just fine?”

“Absolutely. This was to be expected, after all.”

Celes sighed. He had listened very patiently to her ramblings of what she had felt and what Dr. Gordon had told her. “Well, I am glad to hear I am back to my old self. I hope the Council hasn’t forgotten me already.”

Hockhousen looked confused. “You said that a lot of your interactions in there are causing your pains?”

“Yes. I think I can handle it from here on… doctor, are you okay?”

Hockhousen suddenly laughed and smiled. “I think I see the confusion now. My apologies, Vice Chancellor.”

Celes shot a look of concern. “Confusion?”

“Indeed. Those aren’t reflexive pains from work stress. Your blood work confirmed it. That was a bout of morning sickness. Congratulations, Miss Chere. You are pregnant.”

Celes eyes’ bulged. She had heard him quite clearly. Her mouth slowly opened, but no sound came out. She then looked down at her stomach and tenderly placed her hands on it. It took her a little while to finally grasp the magnitude of the announcement.

She slowly looked up at Terra. Her expression probably matched her own. Then, she stared ahead. She envisioned a lifetime involving a child, her, and Locke. She envisioned the child growing up, succeeding, failing, and at every step she and Locke were there, loving, protecting, and supporting, growing older, welcoming grandchildren, and loving all of the highs and lows that life had provided.

She blinked. She had always been somewhat terrified of being a mother. Part of it was a fear of bringing a child up in the same vein that she had grown up, with primary intentions of focusing on career over family. Another part was worry over how it would affect her ability to dedicate her all to serving the Empire and now Figaro. Another part was simply the fear that she wouldn’t be a good mother due to her life experiences. The very thought of being told she was pregnant had always frightened her into a point where new ideas of abstinence became a defense.

Yet in that moment, she smiled. None of that mattered anymore. She and Locke were going to be parents, and all she felt was elation and love and maternal instincts taking hold. She looked up at Terra. “I’m going to be a mother.” She then took a deep, proud breath. “Ye gods, I’m going to be a mother!”

Terra immediately gave her a hug and a shout of celebration. “Oh my gosh! Celes, that’s amazing! Congratulations to you! Congratulations to you both!” They embraced, tears in both of their eyes.

Celes then looked at Hockhousen. “How?”

“Well, there’s really only one way I know of to get pregnant,” he chuckled as he winked. Celes and Terra laughed. “Based off of your lab results, I’d say about seven weeks in.”

Celes quietly bobbed up and down in happiness. She processed the news. _Definitely happened in Jidoor, from the sound of it_. “Oh my gods, I can’t wait to tell Locke about this on Thursday!”

“Oh no!” Terra interrupted. “We’re making sure you get home tonight. Edgar won’t be allowed to say no. Nor will you,” she chuckled. “I will escort you. If you wish to return this week, I won’t say no, but you are ordered to celebrate with Locke tonight!”

“Well, I suppose I can’t refuse a direct order.” She then turned to Hockhousen. “Doctor, thank you for the news. You’ve made me the happiest woman on earth!”

“I can do better,” he replied, smiling. “Thanks to new developments in technology, we can listen to the baby’s heartbeat.” He pulled out a strange device, placing two plastic ends in his ears and putting a small disc attached to the other end on her stomach. He slowly shifted it around until he smiled. He pulled out one plastic end and handed it to Celes. “Listen right here. A faint but strong heartbeat from your little one.”

Celes placed the plastic end into her ear. Her jaw started to quiver. Tears and warmth came again. She could hear the distinct, rapid beating coming from her abdomen. The smile she now had was one of pure bliss. It melted her heart to know how happy she was in this moment.

Suddenly, her look changed to quizzical. “Doctor, I could be wrong, but I’m not sure which sound is the heartbeat now.”

Hockhousen nodded. “I hear what you mean. I think I have the answer for you. Let me shift a little. Okay, there we go.” They both listened to the sound for a few moments. “Now let me see,” he said as he moved the disc a little further to her left. “Ah, there we go!”

Celes didn’t need the explanation. Her heart melted even further. She wasn’t expecting just one baby anymore. She looked up at Terra. “It’s twins.”

“My gods, it’s even more amazing!”

Hockhousen pulled up the disc and brought it over to the sink to wash it. “Congratulations, Miss Chere. The levels do support it, and now we have confirmation. That exam right there shows you have two babies along the way. I’ll get the estimated delivery date for you, but it should be roughly thirty-two weeks or just a shade less than eight months. I’ll go ahead and schedule you for your next appointment in two months. If you feel anything change in a bad way or you begin to see any bloody discharge, come back to see us. I’ll get you a prescription for some approved medications to help the nausea and other aches. Aside from that, I recommend staying away from alcohols or spicy foods. Everything you consume will now be enjoyed by your two growing babies, and those two groups can cause a lot of problems for you and for them.” He shook her hand. “Congratulations again, Miss Chere. It warms my heart to see a happy, expectant mother.”

“Doctor, thank you for making my, well, my life!”


	44. Question and Answer

Celes’ smile hadn’t left her face. She watched Terra get into the carriage. She looked at her watch. A little after five. She’d be surprising Locke in roughly three hours, and she couldn’t wait.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her back. She turned around to see Edgar, smiling. “Edgar?”

“Sorry, Celes, please forgive her. She didn’t lie to me to get you out of the Council today.” He quickly hugged her. “Congratulations. I cheered in the chamber when she told me. I’m so happy for both of you!”

She quickly returned the hug. “Thank you, Edgar.” She then looked in his eyes and began to tear up. “Thank you for everything. This moment, it wouldn’t even be possible-“

“Celes, please, no worries. I’m so happy you think I’m a part of this. This is all you two. Go to him.”

“Not just yet, Your Majesty,” Doma’s Vice Chancellor interrupted. It was his turn to give her a hug. “Congratulations. It warms us all to know the news. If you need anything work or personal related, you will not stand silent. You will not walk alone. I hope you understand,” he said, smiling.

“I’ll do my best to accept more help,” she answered. She then waved to them as she got into the carriage.

Soon, the castle was no longer in the horizon, and now Celes and Terra were chatting up a storm. After a little while, Celes found herself holding her stomach in a protective manner. She smiled. She would get used to this instinct soon enough. “It’s hard to believe I didn’t even suspect this. I was so wrapped up in work, the signs should have been staring me in the face.”

“Well, I’ve always said your passions have focused you pretty well,” Terra replied, smiling. “Whatever the case may be, I’m just so excited for you both. What has been the biggest change you’ve felt?”

Celes smiled. “I think, right now, it’s that I’m actually excited beyond belief about this. For so long I was scared about something like this, just because of my own childhood and choices.” She sighed. “Locke and I fought about this a lot before he left. I was terrified of starting a family in the middle of serving Figaro. I know it hurt him a lot. Yet here I am, proudly starting our family. He was right all along. I really can’t wait for this.” She then chuckled. “He’s going to be halfway to the moon when he finds out.”

Terra couldn’t contain her excitement. “It’s going to be wondrous to see.” She then touched her own stomach. “My gods, I want one more than ever now!”

“Well, you do have all of your children you protected from Mobliz with Duane and Katarin. But I’m sure it will be soon enough. You and Edgar will start that family soon enough.”

“I know. But thanks to today I want it more than ever!”

Celes laughed. “Terra, you’re going to make such a better mother than I am.”

“No competition here. We’re both going to make great mothers! We just need to work a little more on the fathers.” They both laughed. “Oh, for some reason I just feel like anything can happen now! Like humanity is again steered toward a happy ending.”

“It does feel amazing,” Celes replied. Then she yawned. “It also feels a bit sleepy. Mind if I lie down for a nap?”

“Of course not! Sleep well. I’ll catch up on some of Edgar’s paperwork for him.” She covered Celes with a blanket. “If you need anything, let me know!”

 

Celes awoke maybe two minutes from the house. She smiled. _He’s going to be surprised beyond belief._

Suddenly, her look changed to one of surprise itself. _What on earth?_ She heard the carriage driver announce, “Your Highness, Vice Chancellor, your walkway is currently blocked by a number of carts. We’re going to have to stop here at the curb.” Her eyes confirmed what he had said.

At least four carts were parked in the pathway up to the front door. In the darkness, it was tough to see what was on them all. They all looked like boxes. All she saw was that the front door was open, and one or two bodies seemed to be shuttling through the doors. “Ye gods, what is Locke doing?”

Terra shrugged. “No clue, but from the look of things, it might be a new roof or a much larger deck.”

The carriage stopped. Terra and Celes exited and began to trek up to the house. Several men were carrying the boxes into the house with gusto and efficiency. There was also no sign of Locke outside. The two kept trying to piece together a solution that made sense.

Suddenly, one of the men noticed the two and smiled. “Evening! What can we do for you?”

“Actually, I’d like to know what you are doing,” Celes responded.

“Sorry ma’am, but that’s reserved for the owner of the house inside.”

“As the other owner of the house, you can tell me why you’re bringing all of these boxes in there.”

“Ma’am, I apologize for being rude, but we were promised by the owner that his lady wasn’t due back for a day or two. If you want to chat with him, I’ll let him know you’re out here.”

“Please do that, then,” she scowled.

The man shrugged and walked into the house. As he passed through the arch, he shouted ahead, “Hey sir? I guess your neighbors are out here? Want to talk to you!”

They heard Locke shout back. “Be right out! Your setup is fantastic! Keep it up! She’s going to love it!” They then saw Locke bound outside. He clearly hadn’t recognized them in the darkness yet. About twenty feet later, he stopped in his tracks with his breath stopped. He squinted. “Celes? Terra?”

“That would be us,” Terra replied.

Locke ran up, but Celes and Terra recognized both happiness and sheer panic in his look. He hugged and kissed Celes. “Wow, this is unexpected! My gods, is everything okay? Did something happen?”

“Well,” Celes started, but then she focused again on all the boxes, “yes, something did, but it looks like something is happening here as well.”

“Um, yeah, this. Wow, um, crap,” he belted out, clearly trying to figure out what to say.

Celes touched his cheek with her hand and gave him a quick kiss. “Locke, sweetie, it’s okay. I’m sure you have a good reason behind this.” She then stared at him. “Locke, you’re almost the same color as a tomato. What’s going on?”

Locke placed his hands in his pocket. “Well, this was kind of supposed to be a surprise for you for Thursday. It’s for, um, well, um…” He looked to the ground. Celes had completely caught him off guard. _Damnit, how do I pull this off now?_

“Locke,” Terra said, “you said you were planning a surprise for her?”

“Yes, I was.”

“How long until it is set up?”

“Um, probably another fifteen minutes or so?”

Celes smiled. “We can wait out here until then. Sorry to force your hand early. I must say, though, it looks like you went all out! This didn’t cost us an arm and a leg, did it?”

“Actually, not really. I’ve done some really nice work for people in the neighborhood while you’ve been in Figaro. Pretty much all of the money from that went into this.”

“Locke, you shouldn’t have!”

“Celes, I absolutely should have.” His face was still red. “Trust me.”

She smiled suspiciously. “Okay. Looks like I have no choice.”

“So what brought you home? Is everything okay in Figaro?”

“Well, war with Utok might be soon. But we’re looking to diffuse that. Actually, come to think of it, I do have something for you.” She reached into her purse and handed him the box. “Kingsley wanted you to have them. They directly link to mine. He wanted to help us out more. Goes against Royal authorization,” she said through a smile aimed at Terra.

Locke smiled as he opened it. He scanned his new ETCH and DATE. “Wow, the design is very sleek. Thank him for me!” He gave Celes a hug and kiss. “I’m so glad I get to talk to you during the week, now!”

“Me too!”

“But I know you wouldn’t come home early for that. Celes, what’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“Locke,” she said, a warm and glowing smile on her face, “I’ll explain everything after your little surprise, okay? Please don’t worry. It’s not bad.”

“Okay, I trust you,” he smiled. “I’ll go in and see if I can’t encourage them to speed up preparations.” He ran into the house.

For the next ten minutes, Celes and Terra chatted. They resisted the urge to look into the house and see what was going on. Finally, the men came out and loaded up supplies onto their carts and carriages. Most of them smiled at the two ladies. They left without saying a word.

Locke now showed up at the door again, his red face glowing in the light of the house. He was breathing heavily. “Are you ready?”

Celes nodded happily. She walked into the house with Terra, unsure of what to expect. He guided them into the living room and then out to the deck.

Once outside, Celes’ eyes widened. Now her breaths were heavy. She stepped back, cupping her mouth with her hands. Pure elation went through her body. Terra also gasped. They both now had a rough idea of what was going on.

The deck was now adorned with hundreds of purple tulips, Celes’ favorite flower. A crystal chalice on an ornate stand held her favorite bottle of brandy. Candles illuminated a sensual aura. Banners of gold and silver ribbons flew overhead, harkening her to the happiest memories of her childhood home in Vector. In the center of the deck stood a sculpture from her favorite artist.

Celes took it all in. Excitement now overtook her. She turned to Locke. “Locke, this is stunning. It’s all amazing. You’re amazing. What on earth called for this?”

Locke gulped, his red face beginning to sweat. He fumbled in his pocket as he walked up to her. Suddenly, he dropped to his knee as a small box showed itself in his hand. Celes tensed up. Her suspicions had been happily answered. She wanted to cheer to the heavens, but she remained still, knowing how important this was to Locke. Her eyes swooned when she saw the ring as the box opened. It was cut exactly as she had hoped it would be, impressive given she had made but one offhand remark about it in all the time they had been together.

“My gods, I wish I had time to practice this,” he stuttered. Her warm eyes helped him focus. “Celes Chere, when I saw you in New Narshe, I knew we were meant to be. I love and respect your faith in others and the world, and it makes me want to try all the harder to be more like that. I’d reach up and give you the moon if I could. We both dream of happiness and a world that can blossom in love, so together we can enjoy it in each other’s love and embrace. All I want is to make your dreams come true.” He took as much of a breath as he could.

“Celes Chere, will you marry me?”

Celes began to cry tears of happiness. “Oh, Locke,” she said as she caught his eyes.

“Yes, yes, a hundred times yes!”

Locke exhaled and smiled, tears in his eyes now. He took the ring out and placed it on her left ring finger. He had guessed on the size based on a different ring she had in her jewelry case that he had seen her wear recently. He beamed with delight as it fit just about perfect. He then stood up. The two stared into each other’s eyes and connected in heavenly warmth. They moved in and embraced with a kiss that pierced the earth and showered it with the love that could only be produced by two souls preparing to join in perfect harmony. When they finished, they looked lovingly into each other’s eyes again. Both told the other, “I love you.”

Then, they both looked at Terra. She simply stood there, smiling with tears in her eyes and a handkerchief in her hand. Finally, she squealed in happiness. “I can’t believe it, it finally happened!” She ran up and hugged each of them, congratulating them on the moment.

Locke smiled. “Well, why don’t we open up the brandy and celebrate!”

“Yes!” Celes shouted, giddy as can be. Suddenly, her eyes opened wide. She flashed a glance at her stomach before looking at Locke. “Actually, that won’t be necessary tonight.”

“Are you sure? I picked out your favorite. I can drink for one night to celebrate you!”

Celes smiled and laughed. “No, no, I’d better not.”

Locke shrugged and smiled. “Very well then! Well, I can prepare you some of your favorite vegetable stew then. Will that work?”

“Absolutely!”

“Then it is settled!” Locke announced as he moved in and kissed Celes again. He held her hands in his. “I love you so much, Celes. I cannot wait for what is in store for us.”

Celes chuckled. “A lot is in store, I’m sure of that.”

“I know. We can start wedding plans as soon as you’d like. I can take care of organization during the week.”

“Definitely. I’d like it sooner rather than later, if you don’t mind.”

“Whatever you want, we will make it be! Soon, I’d like to plan out maybe another room to add on to the house, just to be ready in case we decide to start a family in the future.” He looked up at Celes. Her expression had suddenly changed. “Celes? I’m sorry. I hope I’m not jumping the gun on all these plans. I’m just quite excited and I guess this is how I’m releasing the energy!”

“No, not at all. Locke, please look at me.” Locke’s eyes met hers. Suddenly, he looked down. She had placed his hands on her stomach. He looked back up at her.

“Locke, sweetie, we’re going to be starting that family soon.”

Celes waited for his stunned reaction to wear off. She watched him look down at her stomach. He made a slow motion with his hand around her abdomen. She then saw his eyes dart up, his eyes full of excitement and shock. “You’re, you’re pregnant?”

She smiled and hopped into the air. “Yes, with twins!”

Locke seemed frozen in time for a few seconds. Suddenly, he picked Celes up and swung her around in a circle, a smile of happiness and warmth never leaving his face. He suddenly shouted, “Yes! We’re gonna be parents! Oh my gods!” He pulled Celes in and passionately kissed her for the next thirty seconds. “Celes, I love you so much!”

“Oh, Locke, I love you so much too!”

Terra was now jumping up and down in crazed excitement. “Oh my goodness, I’m so happy for you both! Locke, congratulations!” She ran up and the two hugged. “I’m so proud of you both. I can’t believe it! You both deserve it so much!”

“Thank you, Terra,” he responded. Then he looked at both of them, his eyes full of tears. “Thank you both. What the hell did I do to deserve all of this? A family with you, Celes,” he began to choke up. “I feel so terrible! How did I ever lose faith in this?” He began to cry.

Celes laughed and immediately gave him a hug. She brought his face up and gave him another passionate kiss. “You never did. Despite life’s bounces, here we are. We are moving forward together, ready to start the next chapter of our lives, because we both want this. All I know is I’m the luckiest woman on earth right now.”

“And I’m the luckiest man on earth right now,” he sobbed. “Celes, I can’t stop telling you how much I love you right now!”

“Well, don’t stop!” Terra responded. Locke and Celes laughed.

Locke then looked into Celes’ eyes. “When did you find out?”

“Today. Those stomach pains I thought were stress-related were actually symptoms of morning sickness. I got sick, and the doctor found out through my blood work.”

“How far along are you?”

“Seven weeks. A little less than eight months to go.”

He placed his hand on her abdomen again. “And two babies are coming along?”

“Yes! We heard the heartbeats today in the doctor’s office.”

Locke smiled. “Twice the love to give. I’m on cloud nine right now.”

“I know! You’re gonna make a great dad to them!”

“Not half as good as the mother you’re going to be!” Locke suddenly stopped. “Damnit, the stew! Hold the thought, sweetie, I’ll be right back!”

“No worries, Locke,” Terra replied. “I’ve been keeping tabs on it for you. I’ll get dinner ready for you two. You both sit here and relax!” She went back into the kitchen. Ten minutes later, she came back out to the deck. “Dinner is ready!” Then she stopped and smiled.

Locke and Celes were on the lounge chair, siting up and looking at the sky. Celes’ back was in union with Locke’s chest. His hands were warmly and protectively wrapped around her and their new family. They were both smiling. It was a perfect sight to see. Terra walked back into the house, came out with two bowls, and brought them over to the newly engaged lovebirds. They both smiled and said thank you at the same time. Terra grabbed a bowl for herself and came back out to the deck, eating and observing them from a distance.

Suddenly, Celes turned to her. “Please, come on over! Join us!”

Terra smiled and obliged. The three ate and chatted together. So much to plan, and so little time. But that could wait for another day.

It was now bedtime. Celes smiled as she felt his hands hold her. Her hand joined his on her abdomen. She looked down. “Good night, my little ones. Sleep tight.”

Locke smiled. He rubbed her abdomen warmly and lightly. “Keep growing strong. We can’t wait to see you.” He then kissed the back of Celes’ neck. She turned her head and the two shared several kisses. “I love you, Celes.”

“I love you, Locke.” She then giggled. “Celes Cole. I do like the sound of that.”

“It does have a nice ring.”

“Yes, she does,” she chuckled as she held up her left hand. The diamonds sparkled in the moonlight coming into the room. Locke chuckled too. The two fell asleep together, happy and complete.


	45. Union

Locke had taken the lion’s share of planning for the ceremony. Celes wanted something simple, at home, in November. That meant Locke’s primary focus became that damn deck he had neglected. Once that was complete, he was able to figure out the catering and the decorations. He also sent out the invitations and booked some entertainment for the night as well. He had proposed the same date as her parents’ wedding anniversary, and she had happily agreed to the eighteenth.

That had given him three months. His eyes showed Celes that he was determined to succeed. She was happy, but still secretly worried. His finals would be right before the wedding. She didn’t want him to just abandon the school at the end. Still, she smiled as he would report to her on the weekends how he was still on track to graduate. To him, that’s what mattered. The weeknights were spent with both of them on their own ETCH and DATE, happily filling the other in on new updates with the wedding planning and anything security-related that Celes had been forced to deal with.

Celes, more than ever, thanked Kingsley for what he had done for them. Stress and emotion had become the norm thanks to further Utok activity. Being able to talk to him every night had allowed her to fight through the increasing anxiety and frustration she felt from being forced away from Locke more days than not. When she was back in South Figaro with him, Celes was routinely kept out of many discussions and reports by Kingsley’s orders. He wanted her to promise him that she would enjoy herself away from the castle, and he knew he didn’t need to worry about that one being kept. The massages Locke provided her felt like heaven on earth and kept her grounded in what felt like a torrential downpour of emotions and world problems.

Eventually, it was the eleventh, a Friday. One more week of work before the big day. Celes spent the day with Terra, her head bridesmaid, Relm, and Lola, ensuring the wedding dress she had chosen would fit properly around her expanding torso. She fretted as the tailor took a second set of measurements. Eventually, he finished his alterations. The group stood in awe at how it looked on her. Even she smiled, thoroughly impressed with his work.

It was nearly seven when they returned to the house. As they walked in, they heard Locke happily humming a tune in the kitchen. They all gasped to see a beautiful meal of potatoes, stew, salad, and a cheese board exquisitely plated. Locke smiled. “Hey, hope this isn’t too much for us all.”

“Ye gods, Locke, do you always try to outdo yourself?” Celes laughed as she walked up to him and gave him a kiss.

“Nah, just wanted someone’s day to end well,” he shrugged with some irritation.

“Oh no, don’t tell me your finals went badly? My gods, I’m so sorry, Locke.” Her look changed to suspicion as he suddenly cursed under his breath with his face in his left hand. “Locke?”

“Sheesh, I’m a fool. I’m sorry to scare you like that.” He smiled as he held up his transcript. “I passed everything. I’ll be certified on Tuesday.” He and Celes happily shared a big hug and kiss.

“That’s fantastic! I’m so proud of you! Wait, what was before about?”

“Oh that? I was irritated at myself for slipping to twelfth in the class. I didn’t think it would aggravate me as much as it did. So I started cooking to get my mind off of it. Now we have a feast, apparently.”

Lola laughed. “If only I could get Cyan to relieve stress this way. He retreats to his electronics collection.”

“Damnit, Locke! I should be cooking for you to celebrate your triumph!” Celes happily protested.

“Tell you what, you can get tomorrow night,” he retorted with a smile.

 

Locke began to fidget. He had spent the night of the seventeenth at a local hotel. Now he was finally back at home, on the deck he had finally built, awaiting Celes to join him in front of the priest. Edgar playfully gave him a shoulder massage. “Calm down. You’ve got your entire marriage to sweat and fret. Trust me.”

“The anticipation is killing me.” He looked out to the guests. All twelve of their companions from Kefka’s tower were there. Several other local friends and Figaro Council members had accepted invitations. The two he had honestly not expected to show, Curley and Kinnick, had found themselves in a strange conversation with Setzer and Mog. He wondered if they had ever seen a moogle before.

Twenty people, including the priest. The number had made her happy, but he now found himself wondering if he should have invited more of her colleagues.

Edgar noticed and laughed. “She’s excited and nervous as well, Locke. Don’t enhance it.”

Cyan also chuckled. “Thou might need a drink to get married!”

Sabin patted Locke’s back. “Don’t pay attention to them. It’s actually cool to see you so giddy about this.” Locke’s groomsmen all gave him hugs. “Just breathe nice and easy and soon enough you two will be married.”

Suddenly, the music changed. Locke knew what that meant. He quickly took his position. He stood in awe as she slowly approached with Strago holding her arm. With no other family to do the honors, she had asked him to walk her down the aisle, and it had given him such a spring in his step. Her beauty was radiant and the wedding dress she had selected was dazzling, enticing, and gorgeous. In that moment, Locke took it all in. He controlled his breathing to ensure he didn’t pass out. That had been Cyan’s recommendation based off his own personal embarrassment years before.

Finally, she was next to him. Strago kissed her hand and gave her a hug, and then walked up to Locke. He winked at him. “She’s yours to care for and protect now, I suppose,” he said as he gave Locke a hug. Both chuckled. He then left to take his seat between Relm and Shadow.

The rest of the ceremony was beautiful. Locke fumbled slightly over his wedding vows, but he recovered well enough to get a warm chuckle from the crowd. Celes, as expected, hit her vows perfectly. Then, both placed each other’s wedding rings on the left ring fingers. They smiled as they peered into each other’s eyes. Both saw nothing but glorious futures ahead, because each saw the other.

Finally, they both looked at the priest, who was smiling. “With this process complete, the bond of holy matrimony has been made. Locke, Celes, you have both chosen to come here today and profess your love and souls to one another. It is a happy occasion that we all bless, thankful to be here to witness such a wonderful occasion. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Locke and Celes wasted no time. They happily shared their first kiss as Mr. and Mrs. Cole. They then turned to the warm standing ovation bestowed upon them by their friends. A lot of cheers and tears were shed.

The reception was fantastic. Everyone was enjoying the party. Locke had spared no expense in the food and drinks. Edgar and Terra had clearly been taking dancing lessons. Setzer tried to drunkenly convince Curley that Mog could indeed be domesticated, leaving her to watch and laugh as Mog offered evidence and punches to the contrary. Kinnick had found it to be a lot of fun to listen to Gau and Relm talk about some great ideas they had with the Veldt and artwork. Shadow chuckled as he crushed ‘Shadow Jr.’ in a knife throwing contest. Celes fielded continuous questions about the pregnancy and if names had been picked out.

Finally, Celes and Locke performed their first dance together in marriage. It was surreal and sublime to them both. When they finished, the dance floor flooded with people. Celes took the moment to escape the chaos and take a seat at the bar. She then laughed as she turned to see Kinnick, also apparently needing a break. “Frederick! I hope you and Alicia are enjoying the night?”

He smiled and gave her a big hug. “Absolutely. I’m very blessed to be here tonight, and I know Alicia feels the same way. Lord Alma will want to know if you liked the present.”

“She should know that! How could I not be happy with a bottle of Vector Vineyard! It’ll be a while before we open it, but that’s not a big deal.”

He chuckled. “Understood. I hope the pregnancy has been going well?”

“It has, for the most part. The hormone levels are beginning to make work a lot more difficult, and we did get into some weird fights. I’m relieved that the cravings I get are for more stew and for steak.” She smiled at him. “Enough about that, though. How is Rosa?”

“I figured Alicia wouldn’t give me the chance to tell you about that. She is doing fantastic. She’s seeing her brother graduate from university today.”

“It’s been a little while now!”

“Yes, we’ve been together almost a month now.” She smiled as she watched him swoon. “The moments with her, they are amazing.” He then turned to Celes again, smiling. “Tell you what, if you two can find some time, you should come visit New Narshe. Rosa has heard about your work and keeps trying to find time to get us together. I also know Locke would probably be treated higher than King Edgar by the people. Just something to think about.”

Celes smiled. “We’ll do our best, I promise. Gods only know what will happen in the next little while.” The two gave each other a hug. “It means a lot to both of us that you two are here. Thank you.”

Kinnick smiled and headed back to the dance floor. Relm was beckoning him again, and he chuckled, knowing he wouldn’t refuse another dance with her.

Suddenly, Celes felt Locke’s warm hands around her and on her abdomen. “Mrs. Cole? Funny running into you here!”

She chuckled. “Ye gods, it still sounds weird yet amazing. How are you?”

“Getting very tired, truthfully. Talking to everybody wears you out!”

“I wasn’t expecting that, either. Thankfully, some time on the Nikeah coast will help us relax this upcoming weekend and week.”

“Don’t forget tonight’s stay at the South Figaro Regale.”

“Ye gods, Locke, you churned out a small fortune for all of this.”

“Aye, and it as been worth every gil to see you as happy as you’ve been so far.”

Celes swooned. He truly had gone all out for her. On any other night, she’d probably be upset that the money hadn’t gone to planning for the children. Tonight, though, it was just fine the way it was. She kissed him passionately. “Thank you for everything, my love.”

He smiled. Then, he felt his arm pulled from behind by Gogo. “Locke, best get out of the way. Time for the bouquet toss. I don’t want to have to see you sent to the infirmary tonight.”

That night, the newlyweds lay in their hotel room, looking at each other. The reception had sapped most of their strength, but thankfully not all of it. Most of the last of it had just been utilized. Celes caught herself thinking how lucky she was that Locke had found her just as desirable, perhaps more so, during the pregnancy as he had before. Locke caught himself thinking how lucky he was that Celes had somehow found his build to be so desirable.

Mr. and Mrs. Cole slowly and comfortably fell asleep in each other’s embrace, Locke’s hands seemingly hugging their unborn children, while the moon smiled on their love.


	46. Executor Dewitt

Two months later, their love had grown stronger, but the world had begun to deteriorate. Celes’ job in the Council Intelligence Committee had become much more stressful. Reports on Utok activities constantly brought her back to world maps and recommending where the Figaro military needed to place its troops and ships. She fretted as the world turned to a darker side, and instinctively she held her abdomen to seemingly shield her children to the impending crises overtaking the land.

The status of Utok was unsettling. They had claimed three Nether Stones. Figaro and Kazen intelligence reports began to show a potential strike on the Kazen’s northern territories brewing. Further, Utok’s navy, despite being outgunned and at a disadvantage against her smaller ships, had begun escalating military tactics against the Royal Fleet. Only Celes saw that Utok had finally begun to test the capabilities of the Figaro military. They were beginning to collect data on how strong Figaro’s militias and sea power truly were. They were hunting for weaknesses.

Today, however, she remained silently optimistic. One of Utok’s Executors, a member of the High Council of four that together decided all actions for Utok, had unexpectedly summoned Edgar for an emergency summit in Albrook. She had volunteered to join him in learning about Utok’s intentions and desires. Despite how the world had turned, she clung to this meeting as a chance to safely relieve some of the pressure in the world’s instability.

The two were now heading east to Albrook after crossing the ocean. Celes kept reviewing her notes and was still communicating with Kingsley on any developments from a situation that had happened earlier that day involving Figaro and Utok. Edgar fidgeted nervously. _Given all that is going on with her, she still seems much more suited for this._ “Need any help, Celes?”

She maintained her focus on the paper she was reading. “I think I’m okay. These reports lead me to believe that we can definitely salvage a truce or a nonaggression pact with them.”

“I just hope they aren’t doing this to size me up as well.”

“Edgar, they are probably sizing both of us up. That’s Utok activity. It feels a lot like how the Empire acted as it was corrupting itself.”

“Not a good thought to have.”

“History can be very beneficial here. It teaches us to prepare for the worst. In this case, war is still a possibility.”

Edgar sighed. “Gods, what are we doing to your land?”

 

Roughly two hours later, they were in Utok’s High Council building in Albrook and were escorted into a smaller, circular room. Inside were four wooden chairs. They both took seats. Celes shifted uncomfortably. “I may just stand. I don’t think this offers me much support.”

Edgar nodded. “The city feels strange with the energy here.”

“Nothing like it used to be. Almost like internal strife is rampant.”

“I should have assumed you were both as sharp as you display,” a voice suddenly replied. Celes and Edgar looked forward to see a man in a strange dark gown take a seat. Next to him, another man in a military uniform saluted. Celes and Edgar recognized him as Anton Zagreb, one of the Generals of the Utok military. The man in the gown, though, was a mystery. The only thing they knew, based off the outfit, was that he was a member of the Utok High Council. He had received the title of Executor. He studied their eyes. “I am Executor Devin Dewitt. I provide the High Council with support of Maranda and the towns that stretch close to Albrook. It is a pleasure to meet you both. I assume you are King Edgar?”

“Yes, and it is a pleasure to meet you as well. General, it is good to see you again.”

Dewitt then turned to Celes and frowned. “And you are?”

“Vice Chancellor Cole, of South Figaro.”

Dewitt shook his head. “That will not do.”

Celes and Edgar began to look nervous.

Suddenly, Dewitt stared at Zagreb. “Please tell me you did not know she was pregnant.”

“Of course not, Executor! I will remedy this at once!” He then ran out of the room. After Dewitt reassured his guests that there were no issues, Zagreb returned with an ornate chair that held several pillows and blankets. He offered it to Celes. “I apologize. We don’t do luxuries for ourselves or our esteemed guests. We reserve them for those who truly deserve them, such as a beautiful mother to be.” He smiled. “Please accept this chair and our forgiveness.”

Celes smiled. “I really do appreciate it. Thank you, General!” She then allowed him to hold the chair while she settled into it. She gasped and moaned slightly. _Ye gods, this chair is heavenly_. She smiled at Zagreb. “You’ll have to tell me where you got the chair and pillows.”

“Some coastal towns near Pohodlie have become prominent for their furniture craftsmanship. We can find a way to get you something like this, I’m sure.”

Dewitt chuckled. “We can send you one, no problem. If we had known before your visit, we’d have gotten you one in here to start.”

“Executor, I’m humbled but I insist you allow me to pay for it!”

Dewitt shrugged. “If you so wish. That one goes for roughly eleven hundred gil.”

“It’s a deal.”

“See? Diplomacy can work between us.” They all laughed. Dewitt next turned to Edgar. “Your Majesty, I first wish to talk about what happened in the Maranda waters just today.”

“I’ve been debriefed by my people. Those sailors knew not to provoke your sailors. I am demanding an investigation into how well our sea muscle knows the rules of open waters.”

“Your Majesty, are you sure we are talking about the same thing?” Dewitt looked puzzled. “I’ve been briefed as well. My reports suggest our sailors fired the first volley.”

“I believe we are. Your _Phalanx_ and my _Crosswind_ ship, correct?”

“Indeed. Well, that is awkward.”

“Your Majesty, I was there in the harbor,” Zagreb announced. “Our ship fired the first salvo. It certainly wasn’t in their direction, but given the world situation, I’ve already reported that I can’t fault the _Crosswind_ for returning fire. Our sailors are currently under investigation as well. I thank the gods both captains collected themselves long enough to end the situation themselves.”

“Well, if it is as you claim it to be, we will look into it further. Has your captain given any reason for the salvo?”

“Your Majesty, he has. Given his hatred for anything non-Utok, it’ll take a little while to figure out how much the warning shots were based off a false sense of threat or a true sense of nationalism. Once we figure that out, he still loses command of a ship, though.” Dewitt chuckled. “Can’t just carelessly wield power like that in any situation.”

“Agreed. I still will continue our investigation to ensure our crew followed their rules properly. I, like you, do not appreciate bravado when it is unnecessary.”

Dewitt brought his hands together so his right palm rested on top of his left in front of his stomach and then bowed his head. It was an Utok custom of respect. “Your Majesty, allow me a strange reflection. It seems strange to have such a civil, respectful dialogue with you here when so many worldly events would suggest that this could not happen.”

“It’s sometimes easier to see reason high above, Executor.”

“Then let us do more to share our visions with those down on the ground.” He then turned to Celes. “Vice Chancellor, you seem lost in thought.”

Celes had been studying Dewitt and Zagreb during the exchange. She would keep her personal opinions personal here. She smiled. “Executor, it is simply wonderful to listen to the words being used here. I’m just taking them in.”

Dewitt smiled. “Figaro’s reputation for grace and civility certainly shines through. I just wish we could convince you more that we strive for that over aggression.”

“Sometimes the world makes that journey much more difficult to walk.”

“Aye, that it does. If you don’t mind, there are several other situations that we wish to discuss.”

More discussions followed. It certainly sounded from the dialogues that both Figaro and Utok had unnecessarily been pushing forward a more warlike response to each other. Both Dewitt and Edgar believed that their greatest follies involved not convincing their people that the two kingdoms need not fear each other. Both paid each other respects for their epiphanies and continued in their negotiations.

Celes smiled, but she knew better. She had learned well from the Empire and her husband how to spot other intentions in people. Executor Dewitt was certainly sizing up Figaro through Edgar's words, much like she was sizing Dewitt up.

 

After an hour and a half of negotiations, Dewitt smiled. “I think I’m comfortable enough now to advise the High Council to focus more efforts on giving our people and military a wake up call and to stop engaging in dangerous methods against Figaro. It is very clear that you, like us, wish the other no ill will. They will listen: after all, my people are closest to the specter of war were it to occur.”

“Agreed. And I will remind my coastal cities and navy of the same regarding Utok. As we spoke earlier, though, I have no intention of picking sides should Utok and the Kazen finally declare war. I hope you do truly understand that I will only act to protect my lands, and no more.”

“As I would fully expect you to, Your Majesty. I pray to the gods that we never get to that point again with the Kazen. The conflict in the northeast only hurt us both. Utok will fully respect your territories from here on out, regardless of conflict.” He then turned to Celes, smiling. “I’d rather end our first meeting on a happier note. How far along are you?”

She smiled. “Just a little past twenty eight weeks. Over two thirds of the way there.”

“That is fantastic! Dare I ask if you prefer boys or girls?”

“Well, ideally I’d like one of each, but I’ll take good health over gender any day.”

Dewitt smiled. “My wife and I have four, ages from seventeen to eight. Three boys, one girl.” He chuckled. “They are all their own unique challenge. Perhaps you shall have your wish in a little over two months.” She saw his look change a bit. “I will toast to your health tonight at the banquet, Vice Chancellor Cole, if you’ll allow me the honor.”

“But of course, Executor.” Her smile grew as the wheels in her head began to turn. “It would mean a lot to me. Your hospitality has been nothing short of exquisite.”

“Then I am content to have guaranteed success in one arena today.” He smiled as he stood up and paid his respects. He and Zagreb then turned and escorted them to the banquet room.


	47. Intentions

“I know it’s late, but I’d still rather return to Locke tonight, since this ship stops in South Figaro.”

“You don’t think refusing a night’s rest was a bad thing, do you?”

“Of course not. They’d probably be more suspicious if you were willing to stay anyways. It was simple courtesy to make you feel more at ease with them. I doubt they expected you to seem interested at the beginning.”

Edgar and Celes were now on the last ship out of the Utok coastal city of Negrim, heading back to South Figaro. They had their own cabin, and were decompressing from the meeting they had just come from. It was the first time an Executor had been willing to meet with him. They normally stayed out of the spotlight, making decisions without eyes upon them. The main government contacts were their numerous Generals. The moment had not been lost on them.

“So you doubt their intentions?”

Celes thought about her answer. She had studied Dewitt well enough, but she had also studied Zagreb’s answers as well as their interactions between each other. Something did not add up in her mind, though she couldn’t see it yet. She closed her eyes. She had already caught information that had made her not trust Dewitt’s true intentions, but she had also heard a lot of sincerity in what Zagreb had said regarding the priority being the safety of the populations of both kingdoms. They had spun a very intricate, tangled web. “I do doubt some of them, though it seems in direct conflict with the ideas I do believe they truly promote.”

“We can start with what you do trust.”

She sighed. “I trust General Zagreb will do everything he can to stop our kingdoms from going to war. He sees the foolhardiness it would be for all of us.”

“He definitely gave off a fantastic aura when he spoke. He truly gives their kingdom a light of hope.”

“Edgar, I think that’s exactly what he wants Utok and us to believe.”

“You’ll have to explain, Celes. I’m confused.”

Celes sighed and handed him a dossier Kingsley had quickly handed to her right as she left South Figaro. Edgar began to read it, and then looked up. “Celes? What is this? I’m now terribly confused.”

“Edgar, this is the report I trust from our field agents. We fired upon the _Phalanx_ first.”

“But General Zagreb was there!”

“Edgar, he was lying to us. He was also lying to Executor Dewitt. Based on how Dewitt explained the process of reporting, I assume Zagreb knew he could doctor the words to what he wanted the High Council to believe.” She closed her eyes. “I saw it in his eyes this evening. He was terrified that Utok would be ready to declare war on us over the _Crosswind_ , so he risked a hell of a lot to try and diffuse tensions by lying to all of us. It allowed us all to sit there and try and take responsibility.”

“Hang on a second,” Edgar suddenly interrupted. “You knew this going in?”

“Yes, I did. I wanted to see how they handled the situation.”

“My gods, Celes.” Edgar now looked nervous. “If Dewitt finds out what happened-”

“Zagreb is probably dead, yes.” Celes shuddered. “At the very least, he provided us with the ability to send a message that our investigation still concludes we fired first and that our captain is being relieved of command for not understanding the basics of maritime law due to our investigation. It still gets us points in diplomacy, and may hopefully put this to rest before they delve too deep into the situation.”

“Celes, are we really that close to war?”

“Strangely, no, I actually don’t believe that. Zagreb believes it, but I don’t think Dewitt actually sees war as a smart policy, even if the events on Maranda Harbor come to light for them.” She then scowled. “But he definitely spent all night trying to ascertain your intentions involving military and foreign policy. You were too sincere when you promised him you’d respect neutrality so long as they avoided our borders.”

“Wait a second, I was too sincere? I thought it was best to let him know war could be off the table?” Edgar cast a suspicious glare at Celes. “I daresay I don’t like some of these sinister thoughts you now possess as you break this down.”

“Edgar, we both know we don’t want war. But by being so willing to step out of conflicts not involving our lands, you gave him exactly what he wanted to know. You basically told him he could run amok in the neutral territories.” She forced him to catch her gaze. “I agreed to this position because my history arms me with great wisdom in war. Never let your enemy know you’re not willing to fight when they try to provoke others. Dewitt came to that meeting a lot more prepared than you.”

“Seems like strange analysis. I thought he was a perfect gentleman to me, and especially to you. I understand he is an Executor, but you don’t need to place less faith in him just because he runs Utok.”

Celes grumbled. “You clearly didn’t pick up on his tell. He lied to us and tried to conceal it. It throws a lot of his intentions under suspicion.”

“How did he lie?”

“He wished me luck in having both a boy and a girl, which is odd given he allegedly wasn’t aware I was pregnant.”

Edgar suddenly look lost in his thoughts. He suddenly blinked. He turned to Celes. “We have Utok informants somewhere near us?”

“Possibly, but I imagine normal gossip lines have probably let even Utok know I was pregnant. Even Zagreb knew I was pregnant. The chair was a stunt designed to try and make us lose our guards.”

“My gods, and it worked perfectly on me.”

“Edgar, I apologize. Please don’t make it seem like you did anything wrong. It’ll just be a lot more stressful when we do eventually retaliate or accidentally provoke again. The only mistake made was that they now believe your pledge to neutrality is your highest priority.”

“Perhaps I should accept their report on today’s naval excursion then. Gives me a presence that I’d defend myself.”

Celes thought about it. “Edgar, I really think it’s more damaging to them to get them to question their own intelligence reports.”

“But it would keep General Zagreb in charge over here, and that offers stability.”

Celes shivered. “Edgar, for some reason I think ‘stability’ is exactly what they are trying to project. They did everything they could to push war out of the equation and went so far as to put on charades. It scares me to no end. I can’t help thinking they are now preparing some sort of large-scale assault on the Kazen. I think we owe it to Lord Alma to help bring up our concerns and the dissent in the Utok ranks. She’ll understand the Imperial strategies here.”

“Celes, you are more than welcome to inform them. I do, however, intend to give myself more of an intimidating position if Utok wants me to have it.”

“Edgar, it isn’t the truth, though, and that can be more damaging. Please, Edgar,” she pleaded, “don’t hide the truth. We can recover from the _Crosswind_ a lot easier than we can recover from being caught agreeing to lie to them.”

Edgar sighed. He knew she was right. He had bungled, diplomatically, his first meeting with an Executor. “All right. I wanted you in this position for moments such as these. I’ll trust your instincts. I imagine you and Kingsley will be able to make the report sound good to Utok?”

“Of course. Thank you, Edgar.” She then sighed. “We may have to openly ally with the Kazen eventually.”

“If that becomes necessary, we will address it as it comes upon us. Right now, I still think Utok knows that war is not the answer. While they may consider my honesty something to exploit, I can still leverage my beliefs in boundary threats to hopefully coerce them into avoiding conflict.”

Celes smiled. “It’s certainly an option. Right now, though, I do think we need to draw up a military plan against them. Dewitt spoke well, but I do think he is looking for a way to be able to force us to play on his terms, based off how he acted.”

Edgar shuddered. “You think the attack might be for the Nether Stone?”

“It’s definitely possible. It’s the only thing that makes sense. Even then, the only thing that still eludes me is the stone in the Hornata Mountains. There are too many challenges for them to get it. We’re to the south, the Kazen is to the north, and the people there have already thwarted one empire that had no intention of hurting them. I worry how they intend to try and mine it.”

Edgar grumbled. “All of our intelligence says that both we and the Kazen have searched the area. Is it possible the stone actually isn’t there?”

Celes grumbled after several moments. “That might be true. I hadn’t considered that. We’ve all been acting like that text was without lie. Who knows what happened when the world split apart?” Then she grumbled again. “Who knows if… they actually found it elsewhere?”

Edgar jumped forward. “My gods, if your instincts are right, as I suspect they are, it is a possibility. Lord Alma must be alerted at once. We can’t emphasize the importance of guarding that Nether Stone now. I doubt they’d make an assault if that wasn’t the last one they needed.”

Celes shuddered. Edgar was absolutely right, if her hunch was indeed true. Utok wouldn’t risk open war unless they were able to end the conflict with Diabolos. “I just wish I had more to go on than just reading Dewitt.” She placed her hands on her stomach. “My loves, I wish I could be bringing you into a more stable world. But we’ll do everything we can to ensure it never again teeters like it does now.”

 

One week later, Zagreb found himself summoned to the High Council. He quickly trekked to Tzen, where they resided. He had seen them many times before, usually to report on his region and to see if everything was being done to support Utok. He felt very comfortable in there, as they shared the same love of Utok and of peace, or so he told himself.

Dark colors and purple runes covered the walls. The only lights were glows from maroon candles that were spread sporadically throughout the space. The room couldn’t hold but maybe three people comfortably in front of the High Council. Its ambience seemed calculated to evoke discomfort and awe among those privileged or cursed to be summoned to the room.

The High Council was already seated. They were waiting for Zagreb. The four acknowledged each other’s presence. Dewitt sat to the right, facing out into the small, intimate, and eerie chamber. To his left sat Executor Olson of the Thamasa and Mobliz regions. To his left sat Executor Osborne of the Remains Region, the lands that had held Kefka’s tower prior to its fall. To his left sat Executor Morgan of Tzen and its neighboring cities. Together, they decided on many of the most crucial aspects of Utok policies. Surprisingly, they very rarely dictated any actions for most cities: they expected local government to handle those issues. Their priorities lay in military strategy, foreign policy, and acting as judge and jury for government officials. They didn’t trick themselves. They knew where their sphere of influence was strongest, and it was not in micromanaging their cities.

Finally, they all stood and held their hands in front of them in respect. Zagreb entered the chamber and matched their respects with his own. The High Council then sat down.

“General Zagreb, we appreciate your prompt reply to our request,” Dewitt began.

“But of course. I aim to serve Utok in as much capacity as possible.”

“Your track record shows exemplary work,” Morgan continued.

“It humbles me to know my efforts are noticed.”

“General,” Dewitt said as he leaned forward, now very serious, “do you know why we have summoned you?”

“Not at all. The request simply asked for me to show. That is reason enough to be here.”

“It relates to the _Phalanx_ and Figaro’s _Crosswind_ incident a week ago. Does it ring a bell?”

Zagreb nodded, trying to hide his concerns. “I do. A weird moment, it was.”

“General,” Osborne asked, “do you still stand by your report on what happened?”

Zagreb smiled and nodded. “I do. I’ve heard Figaro has come to a different conclusion officially, but I stand by my report.”

“I see,” Dewitt muttered. Zagreb now felt his skin warming up. “General, I assume there is a sane reason you would choose to lie to me about this incident?”

“Executor, I do not understand. I did not lie.” He began to sweat. He was not good at hiding his emotions under pressure. “I know not how Figaro came to their conclusion. At the very least, the worst out of their story is that they still feel responsible for the incident. And that is not a bad thing for us.”

“General,” Olson piped up, “I’m not sure how they came to that conclusion either. It’s a mystery, indeed.” He saw Zagreb begin to relax and sensed it was time. “But I do know how our intelligence agents came up with the same account as Figaro. They didn’t approach this scenario with a hidden agenda.” He now stared at Zagreb, angrily. He watched Zagreb begin to wince and mutter to himself. “General, we do expect an explanation for what we feel constitutes a gross breach of our trust. We are waiting to hear you speak.”

Zagreb held his head high. He had been caught, but he now had his chance to appeal to higher desires of peace. “High Council, it is true. I lied in that report. I did so because I worry that it gave you the reason you wanted to declare war on Figaro.” He closed his eyes. Pain flowed through his words. “Right now, we cannot support campaigns on two fronts. I couldn’t in good faith risk our troops to a doomed strategy. So I gambled that Figaro’s King Edgar would play the role he did and acknowledge his account to be the truth. It gave us a chance to give diplomacy a chance over conflict to solve our problems with Figaro.” He straightened his shoulders. “I apologize, but I don’t have regrets.”

The High Council closed their eyes. They did this when they were making their own decision on what to do in the situation. Zagreb knew this meant they were deciding if he was good enough to still be a General or not good enough to still be alive by the end of the proceedings.

Finally, they opened their eyes. They looked at each other to confirm all had made their decisions. Morgan spoke first. “General, what is the status of the _Juggernaut_?”

“Executor, she is still ahead of schedule. Final containment for the Nether Stones is undergoing testing. She should be fully operational in one week’s time to undergo water testing immediately afterward.”

“Hull status?” Olson asked.

“Fully reinforced, as requested,” Zagreb smiled proudly. “The crew worked extra hard to help support your vision. I’m very proud of them.”

Osborne cracked a small smile. “Exemplary. Your ability to motivate still echoes throughout the kingdom.”

Zagreb smiled. He felt a large wave of relief cover him. “Executors, it is nothing special.”

“But it is,” Dewitt interrupted. “It allows us to maintain readiness. That is something we desperately need right now.”

“Yes, Executor!”

Dewitt sighed. “But what we don’t need is dissension and betrayal.”

Zagreb caught his breath. He surveyed the other High Council members. They all nodded in agreement. He closed his eyes. He held his hands out in the custom respectful pose. “Then I have nothing more to give to Utok, except a functional impenetrable warship with the capability to carry weaponry of the highest payloads ever known in the world.” He opened his eyes, tears beginning to form. “Executors, I implore you, please do not let your anger toward me shield you from what I have said. We cannot handle a war right now with both Figaro and the Kazen. I will pray in the afterlife for success in whatever path you do choose.”

Dewitt muttered something incoherent. Zagreb found himself wondering what it meant. Suddenly, an extremely intense pain shot through him. He had just enough time left in his life to see the blade exit his chest in front of him and then stare at the High Council. His last thought was to marvel at how he had never known one of Utok’s Honor Guards had entered the room. He was dead before his body hit the floor.

 

Dewitt muttered again. Osborne finally turned to him. “You clearly stood in agreement with us. What’s done is done.”

“I know that. It just upsets me to know he did it. Gods only know how many other incidents between our kingdoms really happened differently.”

“Our intelligence reports would’ve reflected that,” Morgan interrupted. “This looks like an isolated incident. It matters not in the big picture. We can still handle them if we so desire. I’d recommend General Alford be moved to his spot. We’d easily topple Figaro based off your reports from meeting their King.”

“This is no time for foolish pride!” Dewitt suddenly barked. He now had the High Council’s attention. “The General was right. The military will be more sound on one front, and right now that is the only front we need to win. Acting on Figaro too soon will only rally their navy, and our intelligence shows that we’d risk losing our prized _Juggernaut_ before she could be properly utilized. Just one small warship gave _Phalanx_ a headache. We cannot make that mistake now. We have stayed true to the course we have run. Based off my meeting with King Edgar, I worry not about his reaction to our planned offensive, and that is what we strived to confirm.”

“Executor Dewitt,” responded Olson, “your arguments again will win the day. I know I agree that total victory lies in the Nether Stone we aim to get. It just seems odd that Figaro will not respond in some way.”

“I didn’t say they wouldn’t respond,” Dewitt replied. “Their Vice Chancellor that was there has already probably calculated some responses based off the aggression we aim to show the Kazen.”

“Please, don’t make us laugh,” chuckled Osborne. “Her Imperial training cripples her in calculated ways. We can handle economic sanctions and wasteful chess moves on the ocean. Once we have Diabolos, it will matter not.”

“Her training cripples her?” Dewitt groaned. “Executor, we’ve been left scrambling repeatedly from her responses. She has seemingly understood our intentions from the beginning of the skirmishes months ago.” He snorted. “I’ve no doubt she knew General Zagreb had lied to her at the meeting. She most likely caught my slip up with her pregnancy. She was suspicious through her smiles.” He grumbled. “She’s got a damn good eye and her history demonstrates military tactics that are advanced beyond comprehension. She doesn’t make her calculations based on just traditional military dogma. She has an extra sense about it. The political and military battlefields are her canvas, and she paints like a pro.”

“Fear not. Figaro still hunts the Hornata Mountains,” Osborne angrily asserted. “They still don’t know that was the first stone we found.”

He pressed a button, and instantly a diamond case came up from the floor. Four Nether Stones could be seen inside. Their black, dark blue, purple, and brown essences now seemed unstable as they interacted with each other. All that was missing was the golden glow of the fifth Stone. “So long as they operate on that principle, her precious training means nothing. She will be blindsided along with the rest of them.” Osborne maintained his anger as Dewitt shook his head, muttering to himself. “Executor, embrace our advantages. They give us an easy path to victory.”

“I will not,” Dewitt responded. “It’s the way she reacted when His Majesty and I discussed the importance of their boundaries. She saw something in me like I saw it in her. She knows we’re planning this assault. I’d wager my spot on this High Council. And if she knows that, she will have pieced together that we somehow came across the fourth Nether Stone. She’s too gifted. She knows we wouldn’t risk all-out war with the world without having something like Diabolos to gain from it.” He began muttering again. “Ye gods, it’s a big leap of faith in this text.”

“Well, this is the path we chose,” Olson reminded him. “It has led to this. I support your read of the situation, of course. We may need to prepare sooner rather than later for Figaro to jump into the war, if this is the case.”

“We haven’t attacked yet, though,” Morgan added. “We still have a small luxury of time to further assess what Figaro’s new intentions are. We’ll trust our agents there to find this out for us. And when we do,” he stated while the High Council looked at him, “we can still alter our plan for the fifth Nether Stone. There are, as always, more than one way to earn that rock.”

“It is sound and safe. I support,” Dewitt said as he nodded.

“I support, but I also insist on preparing the military to practice anti-Figaro measures,” Olson chimed in.

“I will offer my support, then,” Osborne grumbled. “I just think we’re playing this out too long.”

“Ensuring victory is worth it. Besides, we could still convince Figaro to support us out of a need for survival. It would make pacifying his kingdom easier,” Morgan proffered.

Dewitt sighed. “At that point, I’d say it would be her kingdom. Celes Cole would be running the military. She won’t make it easy on us. She has already made it rough and tough on us.”

“She won’t be able to handle Diabolos,” Osborne huffed.

“ _If_ he truly comes to our beck and call,” Morgan muttered. “Suppose this is all for nothing. Suppose his essence disappeared with the rest of magic. What then?”

“Then we have a war with the Kazen going on,” Olson answered. “And we can get Figaro to support neutrality like we believe he would. We can still maintain our strength with only one battlefront. Remember, we agreed to pursue this despite the outcome. No regrets now.”

The High Council then closed their eyes again. After several minutes, they opened their eyes and stared at each other. They focused on Olson. He smiled. “Then we shall gather more intelligence on Figaro while we continue to prepare for the assault. Education again wins the day.”

The High Council left except for Dewitt. Something was troubling him. He found himself muttering a lot more coherently now. “Gods, I’ve always trusted my eyes to see truths in others. Please show the High Council my concerns on Celes Cole are spot on, that she alone might be able to stop us from achieving victory.” He dropped his head. “Gods, grant us a small slip up from her. We may need it yet.”

He stood up, pushing a button that put the Nether Stones back into the ground. He then walked out, lost in his thoughts. Celes had begun to concern him greatly, and the High Council had, in his mind, underestimated her capabilities. He prayed that this shortsightedness wouldn’t come back to haunt them in the near future.


	48. The Shots Heard Round the World

One week later, after intelligence declared it the best time to succeed, the strike occurred.

The assault on the compound north of New Narshe took everyone there by surprise. The Kazen had correctly calculated that Utok troops would never be able to penetrate the thick labyrinth of concrete walls and multitude of sentries that were ready to lay down their lives to protect the golden treasure hidden deep inside its most secure vault.

What they had failed to calculate, however, was the damage a dispatch of fifteen of Utok’s best spies could possibly be able to cause.

The fifteen infiltrated the compound that night with surprising ease. The months since the finding of the Nether Stone in the northeast corner of the world had been spent preparing for this moment. All fifteen knew of their roles and exactly how to execute their duties. Nonstop practice had turned the day of the mission into just another day at the office. The dispatch entered quickly, disarmed and disabled everyone they needed to, and traveled into the depths of the compound. Once inside, the intelligence they had gathered helped them crack the combination to the door. The two in the vault gazed in awe at the golden hue the fifth Nether Stone provided. With their prize, the group quickly extricated themselves from the compound. They anticipated the alarms that now sounded.

The next phase of the plan now commenced.

Without warning, one spy suddenly shoved another over a railing, sending that spy down to the ground below him. He cursed his luck as he was quickly detained. As he was being cuffed, he kept his smile hidden. This would happen several times more. The plan’s success hinged on the Kazen doing exactly what they had done. They would quickly be all caught up rounding up the random spies that kept mysteriously losing footing or feigning sickness while the smaller and more mobile group of spies that remained continued on forward. The plan worked all the way up to the edges of the wilderness. The Kazen had become preoccupied with the small victories each capture had given them.

Suddenly, they shifted directions, cursing their luck. The Kazen’s Northern Squadrons had locked on to their location and were now tailing them. Success in their mission was now going to have to fall into an alternate escape method. They shifted toward a specific part of the land, continuing to move. They smiled as they passed a Utok squadron that had taken up camp by the hills the spies would now be forced to cross. As the spies were marching through the second line of hills, one turned around and stared back. The Utok squadron, as instructed, had simply laid down their weapons and were now being processed for arrest by the Kazen. The spy smiled at her fortune. Two hundred fifty soldiers had willingly given their freedom for the Nether Stone she now held.

The spies cackled with delight. The plan had worked. They got to the coast east of New Narshe and sneaked onboard a Utok warship, the _Desiderata_ , that was currently providing emergency provisions for several cities that had been crippled by blizzards the previous week.

Her captain smiled as he realized his new cargo was now secured. The few Kazen soldiers politely thanked Utok for their assistance and moved into the towns to help their citizens survive the unexpected winter conditions. “Glad we can do some good for you,” he smiled as the last Kazen soldier left. He then went upstairs to the bridge and contacted General Scales, the new General who had replaced Zagreb. “General, we have the last stone. Returning to Tzen with the _Phalanx_ on guard.”

The two ships moved as fast as they could along the coastline. Suddenly, the _Phalanx_ shifted her course. Her captain noticed a warship upon the horizon, and its profile suggested a Kazen cutter. He sneered. “Take this, Lord Alma!” he shouted as he ordered his men to fire upon the enemy ship.

Ten minutes later, he was calling up the High Council, alerting them to the _Phalanx_ ’s new evasive maneuvers to draw the enemy ship away from the _Desiderata_. He had screwed up big in two respects.

First, his surprise attacks had missed its target badly. Second, the warship was South Figaro’s _Regala_. Her captain knew full well she was in international waters and had no intention of allowing this show of force to continue.

She ordered her crew to begin hunting the _Phalanx_ with orders to sink on sight. Unlike her opponent, she was very gifted in maritime warfare. The guns of her cutter began to pound away on the _Phalanx_ ’s weakening hull, and her evasive maneuvers kept the slow rounds of the _Phalanx_ from landing a shot. Even worse, the _Phalanx_ had chosen to drift closer to shore. Her captain cursed when he realized he had turned his ship into a sitting duck. He barely had time to raise his white flag when the _Regala_ finally succeeded in penetrating the starboard center portion of his hull. He sighed. His ship would be at the bottom of the ocean in maybe an hour.

The _Regala_ ’s captain brought all forty of the _Phalanx_ ’s crew onto her deck prior to the official sinking of the _Phalanx_. She arrested them all and immediately sent word to Figaro of the crazy behavior that had occurred that night.

She had no clue that Figaro agents had already been sending reports of the theft of the Nether Stone. She had no clue then what the _Phalanx_ ’s captain had begun to set into motion as a result of his gross misjudgment.

 

Kingsley stared into the table below him. “This news, it cannot be possible.”

Sabato shook his head. “The Shadows wouldn’t lie about this. They struck the compound and pulled the Stone. Their escape was perfect. They let two hundred sixty soldiers and spies be captured purposely to get it.”

“Let’s not act like we are impressed.”

“Hard not to. It was a ridiculous plan. Sorry to act like this. I’m still waking up, as are you.”

Kingsley grumbled. “The reports will have to be forwarded to Vice Chancellor Cole. I’ll do the bad news. Wait, hold on. Another report?” He walked over to where a Data Taker had already set up the paper for him. He took the paper and read it. His face turned an angry shade of red. “Unreal. Sabato, look at this.”

He read the report and whistled. “Thought we were the Kazen, eh? Serves them right. They earned the loss of a warship.” He massaged his temples. “Incredible. They might not have formally declared it yet, but it looks like Utok has a war with Lord Alma now.”

Kingsley sighed. It was very early Saturday morning. Celes would probably not be awake for another three hours or so. He tapped his ETCH, grumbling about the duties he was sometimes required to do.

 

Celes quickly walked over to where her ETCH lay on the dresser. She knew it risked Locke waking up. She hit the button to silence the incoming message and quickly looked over at him. She smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. He was still asleep.

She, however, was not. Sleep was now a lot more difficult as her pregnancy was now into the third trimester. Hockhousen had warned her that these nights would begin. They were signs that her body was preparing to handle many nights of little sleep while she nursed and took care of her newborn babies. Thanks to her time as General, though, it didn’t wear on her much. Yet.

She placed the ETCH in her ear and walked out to the kitchen. She poured some water and took out two lemon cookies. This late night routine had helped her a lot. “Vice Chancellor Cole is online,” she quietly spoke.

“Celes? Kingsley here.”

Celes shuddered. This wasn’t the normal late shift call. “Go ahead, Kingsley.”

“Yes, of course. Celes, we’ve received reports from our Shadows that tonight Utok was successful in striking the compound where the Kazen’s Nether Stone was held. It has gone missing.”

Celes, thankfully, found a seat. She remained as stoic as she could. “I see.” She then cursed loudly. With the emotion now released, she breathed again. “What details have you gotten?”

“Celes, it seems they did it with a small detachment of spies. They also seemed to be willingly giving themselves up to the Kazen to let a small select group complete the escape. An entire squadron of Utok soldiers even gave themselves up without so much as firing a shot to slow down the Kazen.”

“Pretty damn clever,” she muttered. “I will inform Edgar. Kingsley, I know you were nervous to tell me this. Thank you for being honest and direct. Anything else?”

“Yes, Celes. The _Regala_ was attacked by the Utok ship _Phalanx_. She successfully sank the _Phalanx_ and took her crew onboard to stand trial. Her report is that her opponent mistakenly assumed he was firing at a Kazen vessel.”

Celes’ head swam. She would need some strong tea this night. “Okay, I’ll report this to Edgar as well. I’ll wake up my driver. I’ll be at the castle as soon as I can.”

“Celes, please, just stay there and communicate with us via ETCH. That’s why we did it for you. At this stage of your pregnancy, the extra travel is unnecessary.”

“Kingsley, this trip is paramount. As the situation escalates, I’ll consider remaining here based on how we are performing against Utok.”

“Celes, I’ve spoken my peace. I know you won’t waiver. I can hear it in your voice. I’ll get the war room set up.”

“Thank you, Kingsley. I’m out.” She tapped her ETCH, grumbled, pressed a few more buttons, and then spoke. “Edgar, this is Celes.”

She waited a few moments. She then heard a sleepy voice. “Celes? My gods, what time is it?”

“Almost three. Edgar, I just received some distressing reports from Sir Kingsley. I am returning to the castle as soon as my carriage driver is up and ready.” She gulped. “Shadows in the northern territories are reporting that Utok just struck and got our Nether Stone.”

“Celes, please tell me this is not true.”

“I wish I could. Kingsley should have the reports ready for you by the time you are downstairs. I will be there as soon as I can.”

“Okay, so long as you feel up to it. Please have safe travels.”

She tapped her ETCH and then placed her head on the counter. Even with her new family members just inches from her head, she felt alone. She wanted to cry, but she knew she couldn’t. She needed her focus more than ever. The world had just taken a sharp turn toward destruction again.

Suddenly, she shot up. “Ye gods!” She jerked her head to her right to see Locke, scared and jumping backward. “Locke?”

“Hey,” he said. She could practically see his elevated heartbeat. “I heard you cursing, so I woke up and came out here.” She saw his eyes fill with dread. “I didn’t overhear any of it.”

“Locke,” she suddenly said. “Can you please hold me right now?”

Locke nodded and quickly walked over. He placed his arms around her and kissed her cheek. He then held their children in his arms. He looked at the sadness in her eyes. “Anything I can do to help you get ready for this?”

“I don’t know,” she replied emotionally. “Tonight, the world took a turn for the worse.”

Locke closed his eyes. “Utok got the last Nether Stone?”

“I believe so. We only can confirm four, but they wouldn’t have done this without somehow getting the other four. Locke,” she said, looking up at him, “right now I haven’t been more scared for our kingdom since I’ve started this job.” She began to tear up. “I’m scared for us, for our family, for our city.” She began to cry.

Locke held her closer now. “I am too. But we will figure this out. You’ve done so well to keep the world at peace. We’ll trust in humanity, and we will defend ourselves if needed.”

Celes suddenly looked up at him again, eyes full of mixed emotions. “Come with me to Figaro this time, please. I need your strength and comfort.”

Locke smiled. “I will pack our bags. I will also leave a note at the South Figaro Municipal Design Office to let them know I’m not coming in for a little while.”

“Thank you,” she said, smiling for the first time since she had come out there. She and Locke exchanged several quick kisses and each began their preparations. Ten minutes later, she explained to her carriage driver the situation and gave him extra gil for his troubles. She and Locke then climbed into the carriage and headed out toward Figaro.

As they moved through the darkness, Celes explained to Locke what had happened that night. The two discussed what they knew and what she had seen in Executor Dewitt. Now the conversation flowed smoothly, much like it had back before the rise of the Kazen and Utok. Back then, the two fluidly bounced ideas off of each other without fear of judgment or condescending tones. The two would work together to ensure all angles of argument, strategy, and diplomacy would be covered. Tonight, Celes welcomed Locke’s fresh perspective. He had to rely on her recollection of Dewitt’s mannerisms, but he trusted her instincts almost as much as he trusted his own. She had become quite the analyst on human nature.

After an hour, she placed her head on his shoulder. He placed one arm around her and another on her abdomen. She happily sighed. His protective arm had become a wonderful mechanism to relieve some of her tension. She simply relaxed knowing he was there, ready to do whatever it took to protect them. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for coming. I know it’s asking a lot.”

“Not at all,” he replied. “It’s the least I can do for you right now.”

“It has meant more than you know. At the very least, I know what path we most likely must tread now.”

“Aye, and your alternative strategy works very well. I guess it’ll all depend on what they say when they inevitably request you and Edgar.”

“You mean when we request them.”

“I wish I meant that,” Locke grumbled, “but right now they know they hold the cards. We’ll learn a lot about them just from where they decide to try and set up the diplomacy. I definitely hope your instincts are right about them.”

“You think Dewitt is just out for blood on both borders?”

“If what you say is true, yes.” Locke sighed. “But I don’t think he wanted to even consider that option until they had a shot on Diabolos. He has that now. It’s all about whether he is confident enough to act on it. Based off what you’ve said, I think he’s really damn close.”

“Any ideas on what we can do?”

“The only one I would suggest to Kingsley is to have deep cover focus on their testing of the stones’ capabilities. That, to me, is the most critical information we can get from them. If the Executors think they can harness it, then we’re heading for war. And our priority will be to disrupt the Nether Stones.”

Celes smiled and suddenly gave Locke a very passionate kiss. When she was done, she began to give his inner thighs a sensual rubbing that made him suddenly moan. His lack of recoil encouraged her to continue, so her hand found itself inside his pants and she finished the erotic deed. Once she was done, she kissed him again.

Locke kissed her back. “Interesting conversation to turn you on like that.”

“I never thought I would hear you argue so passionately about military strategy. I guess it is a turn on.” Suddenly, she moaned back. Locke’s hand had slid underneath her maternity dress. She smiled and surrendered. Soon enough, her self-muffled climax demonstrated that he fully repaid her kindness. Then the two held each other. They kissed once more, professed their love for each other, and then they stared at the sky together through the carriage window.

Outside, the carriage driver chuckled. Their secrets were safe with him.


	49. The Executors' Request

Edgar and Terra were outside the castle waiting for Celes. When they saw Locke, they smiled. They exchanged quick pleasantries and quickly moved inside.

Edgar caught Celes and Locke up to speed in the war room. The reports seemed to corroborate what had already been learned, that the _Phalanx_ had inadvertently attacked the _Regala_ in international waters, and that Utok had successfully retrieved the gold Nether Stone. Top secret reports finally tracked the location of the Nether Stone to somewhere deep in Tzen, but that was all they could gather. They had not, however, heard anything from Utok on how to resolve the sinking of the _Phalanx_.

“Do you think they are waiting for us to contact them?” Edgar asked.

“More than likely, they are calculating out what they think our responses will be at the meeting,” Celes replied.

“I doubt they will wait too long on this one. Based off their actions, they might be facing both us and the Kazen in separate wars,” Terra suggested.

“Or they think, because of how I acted in our last meeting, that they know I wouldn’t press the issue due to it being in international waters,” Edgar mumbled.

“Anything is a possibility,” Celes warned.

“They will come looking for their sailors,” Terra mused. “I don’t think they will just give up an entire ship’s crew without wanting to know more.”

“Anything else on the Kazen?” Locke suddenly asked.

Edgar shuffled through some papers. “Nothing official yet. Our agents expect them to respond with a declaration of war soon enough, though.”

Locke closed his eyes in pain and began to focus on what had just been said. Celes watched him with admiration, wishing she had the emotional fortitude to be able to block out noise at this point. Then, he opened his eyes. “Edgar, how fast would the military be able to mobilize?”

Edgar thought for a moment. “The navy would be ready first. Our squadrons would have some extra time due to Utok needing amphibious landing to gain any traction in our lands. Why?”

Locke looked very uncomfortable. “I suspect that they will need to do so by the week’s end,” he replied without opening his eyes.

Celes squeezed his hand. “Is it your gut?”

“Aye.”

Suddenly, Edgar’s assistant walked in. “I apologize, Your Majesty. Utok’s Executors wish to journey here to Figaro today to discuss the _Phalanx_.”

Edgar pondered that. “As in, all four Executors?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

He studied the room. Terra, Celes, and Locke were all analyzing this new request with private reflection. He then saw Locke nod to Celes, who nodded back. Terra, at least, smiled as she nodded. Celes then turned to Edgar. “Let’s accept their invitation.”

“It is settled, then. Accept it. Tell them to come at the earliest convenience.” The assistant shuttled out of the room. Edgar then looked at Celes. “What do you think of it?”

Celes sighed. “I think they are coming to try and stop us from declaring war while sizing up how to attack us.”

“Yet you agree to it still?”

“Best way to know your enemy is to get a good look at them first,” Locke muttered. “If it’s all four of them, then they’re most likely just trying to buy time for whatever plan they have. We need to force their schedule up on them for once.”

Edgar grumbled. Terra gave him a quick kiss. “Edgar, trust in Celes. We’ve been seeing their strategy play out exactly as she expected. I also think it is smart for her to sit back and get all of their intentions at once.”

“Actually,” Celes interjected, “I have a request on this meeting.”

“Of course,” Edgar replied. “What is it?”

She looked at Locke and winked. She returned to Edgar’s now confused look. “I want Locke in there with me at the meeting. His eye is still the best in the kingdom.”

Edgar grumbled. “They’ll immediately know something is up.”

“Edgar, I think pretenses are out the window right now. They don’t trust us to begin with. Locke being there will not change that.”

“Any ideas on how to convince them into accepting him in the room?”

“Not sure, but I suppose we have some time to-“

“Guys, that’s the easy part,” Locke interrupted.

“Sweetie, how so?”

Locke then whispered into Celes’ ear. She suddenly began snickering. “Not bad, Locke. I like it!”

“As the one honoring their request with my audience, I’d like to know what you came up with, Locke.”

“Certainly. It’s going to put Dewitt in his place to start the meeting, too."


	50. Knowing the Enemy

It took the Executors six hours to finally get to Figaro. The trip involved a lot of concerned banter between the four. The _Phalanx_ had been a major setback in their premeditated plans. A lot of reworking now had to be had, and all four knew that the only way to see the right path forward was to find out whatever they could from Figaro regarding how they interpreted the unprovoked attack on the _Regala_. Much of their plan revolved around keeping Figaro neutral, but now the chances of that happening seemed gone in Dewitt’s eyes. Osborne still believed that Edgar had no intention of risking his people on the front lines, and that meant nothing had changed. Still, he also knew that meeting with Edgar was very important, but his reasoning was to show his fellow Executors, Dewitt specifically, that he ought to have a slightly stronger voice on the High Council. Olson and Morgan, for the most part, still believed that war could be averted with Figaro, but they were primarily interested in trying to determine how much Figaro would support the Kazen in the war they were now expecting with Lord Alma.

All four had their own reasons to meet Edgar that day. They knew they would be greeted with suspicion and doubts.   After all, this was the first time the four had traveled together to meet a head of state. That alone would set off warning bells. Still, it mattered not. For their plans of world domination to succeed, they all knew Dewitt’s worries had to be answered. Figaro was now going to dictate their path forward.

Dewitt muttered to himself again, agitating Osborne. “Executor Dewitt, out with it! We will be there very soon.”

“I simply worry that we won’t have enough time to properly test our weapon before we try to showcase it on the world stage.”

“We have already agreed to try anything we can to stop war with Figaro,” Olson remarked. “That is our end goal today. If we succeed, we will still have enough time to test Diabolos’ capabilities.”

“The real challenge,” Dewitt replied, “is not to stop war right now. The challenge is to make them believe we had no real motive other than to piss off the Kazen with our strike. As soon as Celes Cole suspects we have the capabilities we now possess, all bets are off. We will be forced to time compress our schedule, and that scares me with untested power.”

“Still fascinated with her, I see,” Osborne huffed.

“He isn’t the only one,” Morgan chuckled. “Gods, with her mind commanding our troops, we’d have won the world without Diabolos. You really do need to offer her more respect. Pride can go before the fall.”

Osborne now muttered to himself. _Gods, she has more influence among them than I do._

Dewitt saw his internal anger. “Executor, don’t misunderstand us. I will also feel much better once she’s either imprisoned or dead. We just have to accept that right now we cannot guarantee the plan continues to go off without a hitch. The damn _Phalanx_ really sunk that, no pun intended.”

“Hopefully, as projected, all four of us there will make it much more difficult for her. She can’t read into all of us at once,” Olson reminded the High Council. “It seems odd to request an audience with King Edgar and really be more interested in her thoughts and ideas.”

Osborne kept grumbling. “I still don’t see it as an issue. We know war is coming.”

Dewitt sighed. “We want the war to start on our actions, though.”

“I know, with the destruction of Nikeah.”

“Or the threat of it. Both can be equally effective. Over two hundred thousand citizens are in danger or dead either way.”

Osborne finally stopped muttering. “I will temper my discontent. Forgive me, I still believe we can win this with more offensive firepower and less dog-and-pony show.”

“We all do,” Morgan assured him. “We just know that this path provides us a lot less cost. Those savings will be crucial for us to begin winning over our soon-to-be subjects.”

Suddenly, the four heard their carriage driver shout, “Executors, we are at the gates.” They nodded to each other and paid their respects. They knew they had to be in solidarity today; otherwise, a new plan would have to be scrapped together.

Dewitt was the last to leave the carriage. He looked up at the carriage and muttered to himself. They had stayed the course for so long, only to have a sinking ship cause such a commotion. He knew he was superstitious, and the timing of this didn’t settle well with him. It was almost like the texts had suggested. Perhaps Diabolos was best left untouched.

He winced. He knew doubts had begun to climb in his mind. And that meant Celes Cole would have the advantage this time during the meeting.

 

Soon, the four Executors were sitting in the Royal Chamber, awaiting King Edgar’s entrance. Then, they stood and bowed while paying Utok customs and respects. In he walked, with his Chancellor and Celes in tow. Pleasantries were exchanged halfheartedly. Edgar quickly raised his hand. “Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, I understand your frustration. There will be time for that later, but for now we will still pay proper formal respects to the Executors. Is that clear?”

Celes and the Chancellor apologized to Edgar and then to the Executors, who had no problem accepting them. They all understood the sentiment aimed at them. Finally, they took their seats.

“Executors, I must say, it is unusual for such a request. I hope there are only the best of intentions here.”

“Your Majesty, but of course. With what has happened, we believe we all need to be here to be able to show you how troubled we are with our captain’s recklessness,” Dewitt answered. He then looked at Celes, confused. She was rubbing her feet and looked uncomfortable. “Vice Chancellor?”

Suddenly Celes spoke quietly to her assistant, and then she watched her leave quickly. She turned to Dewitt. “I apologize, Executor. The pains today are a little stronger than normal. I traveled from South Figaro overnight to learn more of the situation.”

Dewitt smiled. “So long as you are okay.” Then, he looked up, confused. A man suddenly entered the room. He had never seen him before. The man walked up and gave Celes a big hug and a kiss, whispering into her ear while his eye caught Dewitt’s. Then he stepped up and paid the proper Utok customs to the Executors. “This is unexpected,” Dewitt groused.

“I apologize, Executors. My name is Locke Cole. I assume you’ve already met my wife?” He smiled back at her. “Doctor’s orders are to avoid medications right now. I assume you won’t mind if I remain to tend to her?”

“Actually, I do,” Dewitt responded, confused. “Your Majesty, I hope you understand my concerns that other ears be here.”

“Executor Dewitt,” Celes suddenly shot up. A feigned look of sadness had captured Dewitt’s attention. “Surely you don’t mind? It would put me more at ease.”

“Based off the information, I’m still not comfortable.”

“Then, we have no choice but to postpone. We won’t talk without her,” Edgar retorted.

Dewitt looked panged. Locke played along with a look of sadness and concern. “I see. Celes? I can step out.”

“Locke!” she snapped, along with the script. “Please understand, the children are most important here.”

“Celes, I’m sorry. You said this was too important. I don’t want to undermine whatever this is.”

Dewitt sank inside. His cunning in playing up her pregnancy at the first meeting was most likely being used against him here, and he knew he couldn’t risk more damage or delays. She had played him perfectly this time. There was no other choice now. “Please, I apologize. It is clearly very important for her to have you here, and I will relax my guard on his presence for you, Vice Chancellor.” He muttered to himself and then spoke louder. “I can’t in good conscience create more stress in you, Vice Chancellor, given your state.”

The other Executors remained stoic, but inside they all felt they were losing this time, and Dewitt was at fault for it.

Celes nailed her part perfectly. “Executor, I do appreciate it. I promise you, it means almost as much to me as his treatments.” She grumbled. “As excited as I am for motherhood, it seems like the world conspires to make it as rough as possible.”

“Offering flexibility is never a problem,” Osborne piped up. “Given the timing, it’s best to find resolution now. Take a seat, Mr. Cole, and see to it she is treated as well as possible.”

Locke shed a fake tear as he kissed Celes. “Thank you, Executors. I apologize for making this awkward on you. I do know it only warms you to Celes and His Majesty.” He took a seat and looked in Celes’ eyes. “Where does it hurt today?”

“Both legs,” she sighed. “Could you start with the left?”

Locke smiled and lifted that leg onto his thigh. “Absolutely. Worry not on the pain. You’ve enough on your mind as is.” He then began rubbing. Celes felt the actual pain disappear, and she began to listen to the meeting, hoping Locke could keep up the massage for as long as needed.

It had worked, though. Now, Edgar had his two best human analysts able to lock in on the four Executors.

Locke quietly hummed a tune to himself as he continued the massage. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he witnessed Dewitt turn to one of his assistants and speak quietly into his ear. Locke chuckled inside at Dewitt’s newest mistake. It was only obvious to him and slightly less obvious to Celes, who saw the twinkle in her husband’s eye. He continued to hum his tune, using the notes to signal to his wife what he had just learned: Dewitt was asking his assistant to find out everything he could about a man named Locke Cole. Locke figured it was inevitable, but he certainly didn’t expect it to occur so fast and with a slapdash touch.

The best part was this: Locke knew that was happening even without the confirmation from his ability to read lips.

Locke looked up and smiled at Celes. “Let’s apply the cool cloth now.” He grabbed one and placed it on her left foot. Celes breathed out in satisfaction.

Celes quickly processed what Locke had told her through code. She knew he would agree with her unsettling conclusion: once they discovered he was once a Shadow, they would most likely speed up the timetable on their weapon’s testing. Enjoying the treatments, she was able to relax enough to hide her unhappiness at the conclusion she had reached. She knew it was a strong possibility, but now it had switched to near assurance.

Olson stood up, bowing in Utok custom. “Your Majesty, we simply begin with trying to assure you we meant no harm or disrespect to Figaro with our captain’s actions this morning.” He began to tremble. Locke and Celes both noted its sincerity. “Despite our intentions, it is clear that we now face a long road in convincing you that our captain truly went too far.”

“Actually, that’s not too difficult. He _did_ go too far,” Edgar responded coldly. He then focused a stare on Olson. “The challenge, though, is to figure out if I now expect more defending from this behavior or to believe it is indeed just a mistake.”

“Your Majesty, your point is certainly well taken,” Dewitt suddenly added. “As it stands, though, we come here knowing our kingdom screwed up. This makes it twice now that the _Phalanx_ tempted fate with problematic aggression toward your ships. We simply wish to know what we can do to at least create a chance to assure you that we have no interest in losing our navy in a war we cannot win.”

Edgar knew this might come up. He turned to Celes, who had been prepared to speak on this. “Vice Chancellor, your response?”

“Indeed, Your Majesty.” She bowed in Utok custom. “I apologize, I’m not in the right state of body to stand right now. I hope you take this as a symbol of my respect for what you have just said.”

Dewitt smiled. “The technique was flawless, and I am humbled you still respect us after this morning.”

Celes sighed. Utok would soon learn of her husband’s past. They would be attacking Figaro faster. Now, the rest of the meeting would be spent lulling Utok into thinking she hadn’t begun preparing a war strategy and using the element of surprise to her advantage. “I do, Executor; however, one thing still troubles me from what you’ve just said. Our investigation still led us to the conclusion that the _Crosswind_ fired on the _Phalanx_ first.” She feigned a grumble. “Based off what I know from diplomacy, I’m not sure how your reports missed that. Further, it does put us at a most unusual situation here where we’ve both made a horrific breach of etiquette and maritime law.”

Edgar knew what this argument meant, so it was now time to look at her uncomfortably. “Vice Chancellor, I thought we agreed that the first round was simple bravado, and not an intent to sink like this morning’s was? I daresay I do not like sudden policy shifts such as this.”

“I apologize, Your Majesty,” Celes got out before she suddenly cringed. Right on cue, Locke massaged a part of her right calf that wasn’t necessarily sore but had served its purpose. Now the High Council had focused on her. Locke chuckled inside again. _Think you’re the only ones capable of disarming their political opponents?_

Celes collected herself, looking embarrassed. “Pregnancy really makes this a lot more difficult. I apologize for that, Executors.” She then looked at Edgar. “Your Majesty, as I was trying to say, it certainly felt that way to us; however, I had also made a faulty assumption that their further investigation would find a similar conclusion. At this point, it’s only right to make sure we are on the same page. I have no intention of pointing even more triggers at Utok based off of incorrect information and their false belief that they are the only one who acted improperly.”

Osborne now leaned closer. His eye had leered at Dewitt, who had started muttering to himself. He was sure the whole council had seen this. He knew Dewitt had been defeated in some regard by her again. He simply didn’t know how. “Vice Chancellor, how sure are you in your report?”

“Very sure, Executor Osborne. Our sailors wouldn’t lie to us about something like this.”

“Then why would ours?”

“Executor, I do not know. Perhaps they hoped to avoid more conflict?” Celes lowered her head. “Ye gods, it certainly would lead more credence to the _Phalanx_ ’s insistence that they never intended to fire on us and only the Kazen.”

“All the same, they intended to sink one of my ships,” Edgar snapped. He then stared at the Executors. “Dare I ask if you intend on trying to get them back?”

“Honestly,” Morgan said, “we’re only interested in getting everyone except the captain back. They won’t be charged with following a captain’s order and we’d rather they get back to their families. Captain Beck will most likely be executed in our custody, but I’m sure you’d like to dole out your own justice for what he ordered.”

“Doing the castle’s laundry will suffice, then. As for the rest of the crew, though, I’m afraid I’m not entirely convinced releasing them is a good idea.”

The High Council shifted uncomfortably. Olson finally spoke. He had spearheaded the effort to avoid war, so it was probably best for him to speak an option none of the High Council had wanted to resort to. “Your Majesty, we are obviously in no position to challenge this. We simply ask that in their trial it is understood that they merely followed an order, and that they were not in charge of making those orders. I apologize profusely. The High Council certainly shares this dread. We all wouldn’t be here today if it didn’t bother us so. It feels like each one of these incidents brings us closer to the edge. I don’t know what has caused it. I do know, though, that we as High Council will do everything we can to fix this damage. If it means corralling our entire military, then so be it.”

“Executor Olson, they are powerful words,” Edgar muttered. “I still am not buying it. You wouldn’t corral your military if you were intending on sinking a Kazen warship this morning after invading one of their artifact depots last night.”

“Your Majesty,” Osborne suddenly interrupted, “I understand your sentiments. If we were to do just that, though, would it show you our true intention that we only want peace between us and Figaro?”

“It would be a big start,” Edgar said as he rolled his eyes. “Just a hunch, though, that you would not commit to such an act.”

The four members then stared at each other and then closed their eyes. They had hoped it would not come to this, but now they knew they had no choice. This was their last ditch effort to buy more time for testing. They opened their eyes and nodded. Olson knew he would deliver the news. “Your Majesty, we would then offer to draw up official documentation to show our intention of withdrawing all our forces from the waters bordering both of our kingdoms. We would hope you would bear witness to this.”

Edgar stared at them, and then finally looked at Celes, who now looked hopeful. He knew why she was truly worried, but this was how this game would have to end. He smirked, knowing he had gotten some revenge on the High Council. “Vice Chancellor, I know that look. You intend to follow up with a concession as well. What do you propose?”

“I simply propose that we do the same with our ships.”

Edgar grumbled. _She wants the ships in some position, ready to strike_. “Assistants, get some press reports ready, explaining to our coastal towns why we are backing off on the elevated threat. They won’t be pleased.” He then turned to the High Council. “Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not fully on board with this. But I trust her. I will withdraw my ships only after I learn the last of your fleet has left the conflicted waters. The papers will be ready soon.”

The High Council bowed their heads, this time in Figaro tradition. “Your Majesty, I am both relieved and concerned about what has happened today,” Dewitt spoke. “I do think we have averted certain disaster today. I still do share Vice Chancellor Cole’s concerns with what she spoke about earlier, though. We are still at a dangerous point. We will see where we can diffuse the pressure buildup in our people. I feel this conflict is not over just yet.”

Celes slowly stood with Locke’s help. She held out her hand toward him. “I agree with you with all my heart. Let us continue to fight and show that we can defeat the worst in human nature.”

Dewitt walked over, smiling. His hand met hers. He remarked how strong her handshake was. It set him more at ease than it probably should have. “Together, we can do this. That’s what we will hope. It would be nice to have a world where your children play with our children, or at least be given a chance to do just that.” He then smiled as he shook Locke’s hand. “Mr. Cole, I hope you don’t think less of me from my earlier concerns.”

Locke smiled genuinely. He had already sized up Dewitt perfectly. “Executor, I do not. I can certainly understand your concerns. As Celes has told me, though, you seemed very intent on being flexible for the sake of our kingdoms. Her praise of you was very much on point. I daresay the rest of the High Council seems encouraged by your thoughts and actions.” He then smiled larger, signaling to both Edgar and Celes his intention to push Utok down their undesired path faster than anticipated. “Thank you all. You seem intent on saving the light we protect here in the darkness.”

Dewitt did his best not to react to the last statement Locke had made, but it was too late. Locke and Celes had used the moment to smile at the entire High Council. All of them had reacted the same way to what Locke had said. The seed had been effectively planted. Dewitt focused on his handshake. “I’m sure you will do the same here in Figaro,” he forced through his weakening smile. Then, the High Council bid Figaro a proper respectful goodbye.


	51. Forcing Utok's Hand

Not even three minutes out of the gates, Dewitt began muttering to himself. This time, Morgan took the uncomfortable honors. “Yes, Executor Dewitt, they had us from the beginning. I just don’t know what you seem upset about. They seemed to cement their neutrality pledge. I’d consider this a big win for us.”

“Agreed,” Olson added. “We even now get a chance to reorganize our fleet in the west to our liking.”

“I must say,” Osborne remarked, “I was very taken aback by her.” He scratched his head. “Nothing like I was expecting.”

“Well, she is pregnant,” Morgan countered. “The emotional swings are understandable.”

“Not that,” Osborne replied. “I just expected her to be more of a chimera in there, not their king. Seemed quite the opposite as to the last meeting.”

Suddenly, Dewitt shot forward, the gears spinning in his head faster than before evidenced by his more rapid muttering. He then clenched his teeth and drove his fist down into the seat cushion he was sitting on. “Unbelievable. I missed it from the beginning, I think.”

Morgan sighed. “Okay Executor, what did you magically miss this time?”

Suddenly, Dewitt’s assistant reached into the carriage with four dossiers. “As you requested, Executor. The agents stand by their intel one hundred percent.”

Dewitt passed out the dossiers and quickly began reading. When he finished, he closed his eyes in anger and respect. “Well done, Coles. I had a suspicion from the beginning something was amiss.”

Osborne threw his dossier in anger. “Unfuckingreal. He was a damn Shadow?”

Olson, for the first time in a long time, now looked concerned. “My gods, he was there to spy on us?”

Morgan sighed. “Looks like it. Edgar was ready for us this time. Apparently he brought out his best to even the playing field in this meeting.”

“Trust our intel,” Dewitt barked. “They know better than anyone. They said he’s their best. Even more aggravating, he somehow knew I was going to pull his information if he was willing to throw that damn slogan in his speech.”

“Executor,” Morgan spoke, “what does this mean for our plan?”

“Executors,” Dewitt grumbled, “his presence along with their clear flair in having Celes push neutrality has really put us in a rough bind.”

“What do you mean?” Olson asked.

“I mean their actions suggest the possibility they are ready to go to war against us. Certainly I’m not the only one who saw their routine as a rehearsed act?”

“I certainly see it now,” Olson said in an unsettling tone.

“I still don’t see what it accomplished,” Osborne muttered. “They want neutrality, not war.”

“They wanted to see how we would react to them, much like we did when Edgar showed up last time. Only this time, they brought Locke Cole. They’re intending on striking us!”

“Then call me confused by your big leaps of logic,” Osborne angrily retorted. “Pushing peace to hide a declaration of war? I thought his Majesty had no intentions of that?”

“Well,” Morgan offered, “that has been our plan all along, is it not?” He saw Osborne grimace at the truth he had been forced to see. “I’m guessing Celes Cole saw that from the last meeting and they intended on acting. We simply gave them the easiest chance with the _Phalanx_. That ship has now inevitably pushed us to war with Figaro much faster than we could handle.”

“Not if we agree to expedite weapon testing,” Dewitt muttered. “We have no choice now. We cannot give Figaro a naval advantage. If Diabolos fails, we’re looking at a naval blockade in two weeks along Albrook and Maranda. We will suffer heavily.”

“Diabolos will work!” Osborne shouted angrily. “They have already begun rolling out the testing plan. All containments are set. We could even load up the _Juggernaut_ now and test from her deckplates. That would save us maybe an extra day, which is crucial right now.”

Dewitt muttered again. His superstition was acting up. “My gods, it had better.” He stared at his counterparts. Four pairs of suddenly concerned eyes closed and four conflicted heads lowered. Finally, after sorting through internal turmoil, they all looked up. Dewitt muttered to himself again. He hated having the High Council’s plan rushed because it risked problems. “It is settled. Order the expedited testing. Executor Osborne, you’re the tactician, so you will be there. This time, only our absolute necessary personnel will be present. We cannot risk Figaro learning _anything_ about the results.”

 

Fifteen minutes after the meeting and back in the war room, Edgar, Terra, Celes, and Locke sat back, all lost in their own thoughts. Kingsley and LaPlace then entered with dossiers detailing what they had heard through the speaker. Four Shadows also entered holding notepads for transcribing what the original four thought was noteworthy.

Locke started first. “I assume by now they have discovered my past Shadow life.”

“How on earth did you figure that out?” Edgar asked.

“Simple. I read his lips when he spoke to his assistant. Not that his suspicious look towards me while he said it didn’t give it away anyways.”

“Ye gods, some of your talents certainly help out a lot more than I care to admit,” Celes replied with both warmth and disapproval.

“Only using it to help us,” Locke assured her. “Still, it should do more than enough to force them to speed up their testing program.”

“And that gives us a chance to force their plan to the sea with the _Juggernaut_ , according to our deep cover agents,” Kingsley remarked. “We can now focus on two or three strategies instead of the ten or more we originally had to create. We thank you for that, Locke and Celes.”

“What other contingencies must we contend with?” Terra asked.

“Well, best case is that their weapon fails to do anything. In that case, we have them at our mercy on the sea,” Celes theorized. “Worst case, it works and we now know we have to disable the _Juggernaut_ at any and all cost. Somewhere in the middle, we stop them from doing all of the extreme testing they most likely wanted to try, and _Juggernaut_ , while dangerous, is not at full combat capabilities. In this instance, we still have to stop the ship at all costs.” She then turned to Locke, who was wincing. “Locke?”

He looked down for a while, and then looked up at her. “Celes, I don’t think that’s the worst case at all.”

“Well, what is?” Edgar and Kingsley asked at the same time.

Locke shuddered. “Summoning Diabolos is.” He suddenly looked stuck in a look of terror and lifelessness.

Celes quickly hugged him. “Locke? What’s going on? Talk to me, please!”

Suddenly, Locke seemed like he had snapped out of it, but his expression had not changed. He simply shook his head, got up, and walked hurriedly out of the war room.

Celes now looked gravely concerned for Locke. Terra quickly gave her a hug. “I’ll follow him. He’s probably overwhelmed with a lot of emotions about our future. Everyone here focus on setting our path forward. I’ll make sure he is okay.” She then placed Celes’ hand on her own stomach while she touched Celes’. She was only six weeks along herself, but in this moment she wanted her to remember whom they were now also fighting for. They smiled at each other, understanding what each felt only too well. Terra then turned and walked after Locke.


	52. Theories into Practice

Three scientists grumbled. This was not exactly what they had expected to do as their duty to Utok. Testing had commenced hours before, it was now the middle of the night, and so far all they had to account for were thirty-eight dead bodies in various configurations of disorder that once held the souls of Utok citizens. They reminded themselves of the key word _citizens_ , because criminals were still citizens despite what heinous acts they had performed to earn their tour in jail.

The lead scientist grumbled. Osborne had ordered another test shot at 25% power. He looked at the senior weapon operator. She had practically helped design the fascinating apparatus that now housed five crystals. She had correctly surmised that the five Stones were doing everything they could not to join up. That, according to the texts, showed that summoning Diabolos was not feasible, as it would require a lot of energy to overcome their repellant nature. As it had stood, though, she had found many benefits in attempting to overcome that force in small quantities. She and other leading researchers had designed a power scale based on how close the Stones were forced next to each other with the use of powered beams. With the simple flick of a switch, the beams would push the five Nether Stones closer to union, and the results both varied and showed consistency based on just how far apart they ended up. That distance translated to different percentages on the power scale. Another important design feature was the setting that limited power to 100%, a distance that also did not allow any of the Nether Stones to touch. This would allow Utok, in theory, to use Diabolos’ power without risk of possibly waking him.

The leading designers also theorized that the power surges that might occur would need to be properly controlled to protect the operators and mechanics that would routinely work on it; therefore, they designed three structures used to contain the power into the space they desired it. The first was the apparatus that held the Stones. It was strongly reinforced adamantium as were the powered beams, chosen because of its abilities to withstand powerful magical energy bursts back when magic existed. The second structure was a vacuum chamber immediately surrounding the first. The theory was that without any air, the magic energy would not be able to travel outward past the first structure in case of its failure. The third structure, pushed by the High Council, was simply a case of water holding everything else inside it. They believed, like in the old days, that the water’s chemistry and color would give away random pulses that might escape the vacuum. It wouldn’t offer much protection, but at least it would give the operator a visual sign that something was wrong.

Above the case was the important aiming apparatus. By design, the containments opened up above the Stones Chamber, allowing the magical energy that they theorized would be released to have but one path of least resistance. It would shoot upwards and collect in the Firing Chamber, building up pressure. Once the operator set the four coordinates that the system used to decide on a straight-line path, the operator then pushed a button that opened up the adamantium shield that acted as the last guard to the energy. After that, the magic burst would fly out to wherever the operator had selected as a target.

That had all been theory until today. Now, it was operational and working as expected.

The scientists and operator quickly began to marvel at how the Stones reacted in the apparatus. Specifically, it seemed to work exactly like they had wanted them to. The first discovery was that the magical burst created had its own specific hue. The second, through repeated tests, seemed to show eight hues with randomness to their selection. The third conclusion, though, was the one that piqued the scientists’ curiosity. Each color seemed to represent an element or something. Red demonstrated fire as it burned a tree. Light blue froze its tree target. Dark blue drenched its tree. Light green sent strong winds into its tree. Yellow struck a tree with electrical energy. Brown seemed to bring the power of the earth into the tree it crashed against. Dark green seemed to infect the tree with toxins. Only purple remained a mystery, as it seemed to have no effect on the tree it hit.

As the power level had gone up, so had the size and magnitude of the magical bursts. The researchers and Osborne had also learned that at higher powers, the accuracy dropped off slightly, though that happened much closer to 75% power. Under 55%, their device was frighteningly accurate. The only other important discovery they had made was in the range. Range began to grow rapidly with the power level. This meant that smaller bursts didn’t travel out too far. At 25%, they could fire outwards of maybe twenty yards, but at 50% they could reach one hundred yards. Their one 75% test made it up to a half mile. Based off their other meager data points, they estimated that 100% power could get them twenty-plus miles of range. 25% was found to be good enough to kill people, but 50% was needed to put some dents in the old warships they had staged in their secret testing facility deep under Tzen. 75% left very little in the small house or other warship.

75% power, however, had forced some emergency repairs and maintenance. The whole apparatus had begun to shake more violently than anticipated. Containment had held, but the mechanics definitely needed to reinforce the structure’s welds to its base and the base to where it locked in. Osborne had grown worried about that test as it probably meant he would have to skip over the several 100% tests planned later. Besides, if 75% could level buildings, all he needed to do was ensure they had the apparatus in control at that power level.

Now, though, they could collect some more data. He looked on the range at the poor soul who knew it was his turn next. Osborne muttered, hoping to finally see the purple glow be emitted through the adamantium. He would not rest until he knew what it would do to a human being, and the apparatus had not given him results in the first thirty-eight test subjects.

The operator gulped and turned the switch. She watched the power level go up to 5% and then higher. As she had now begun to expect, at roughly 11%, the adamantium began to glow. She then sighed a slight breath of relief. The purplish color hopefully meant that this should be the last test on a living subject. At 25%, she released the switch. She then waited for the Firing Chamber to fill up with the created energy. Without turning her head, she announced, “Executor, Chamber is primed.”

“Lock in coordinates.”

“Aye, Executor.” She punched several buttons. “Target is selected.”

Osborne squinted to get a better view in the shooting range. “Fire when ready.”

“Aye, Executor. Firing in five, four, three, two, one, now!” She pressed the red button as she said her last word. Her final unspoken word was one involved with a silent prayer to the poor man who would endure this latest blast.

Osborne watched the energy release with surprising force and pace. It traveled in somewhat of a straight line, though tiny fragments slowly released in random areas from the central beam. It started to rotate soon after it exited the Firing Chamber, creating what was first described as a beautiful, relaxing visual prior to impact. That was an easy description to have when the target was a tree.

This, however, was a person about to be hit.

The citizen screamed as had the others first impacted by the force of the magical burst. That alone left a world of hurt for the people who had to interact with it. It was the next effect that had chilled the mood. The red energy had caused its victims to burst into flames from the inside. The light blue energy had quickly frozen over its victim, with the force of the energy causing the body to crack around the knees and shatter further back. The dark blue energy had filled its victim’s lungs with water, suffocating them in a more drawn out, painful way. The light green energy had left enough deep cuts and nicks in its victim from the lashing winds that he had simply bled to death quickly. The yellow energy electrocuted its victims quickly. Brown energy barreled through its victims like a stoning would, if the rocks used were large and thrown in rapid succession. Dark green provided perhaps the worst visual outside of the ice, as its victims began to vomit up pieces of their insides, usually dying of asphyxiation before internal bleeding could do the job. In this case of purple might, though, the victim immediately fell down clutching his stomach, screaming that he could no longer feel anything below his waistline. Medics immediately entered the shooting range to begin their diagnostics.

After five minutes, Osborne received the debrief. The area he had been hit, his stomach, had ceased to function. That had cut off feeling to the lower extremities, but the worst was yet to come. The full paralysis was very slowly spreading both up and down his body. Based off the pace, the medics estimated roughly fifteen to twenty minutes before his heart and lungs would cease to work. They had called the effect “creeping death” in the report. Osborne shuddered at the phrasing. He preferred quick and relatively painless methods. He then signed the authorization for the medics to use the soon-to-be-deceased body to discover an antidote for its effects. Much like the poor souls involved in dark green interactions, this energy seemed suited for a quick remedy that could protect from inadvertent friendly fire in at least some instances.

Finally, Osborne checked his sheet again. It was time for another 75% test. The apparatus was reset, and the operator began to turn the switch. This time, unbeknownst to her, the target was well down range and was a large replica of the South Figaro Church. Inside its walls lay one hundred citizens, bound and gagged.

The operator began to wince as she felt the Stones shake, fighting their closeness with all their might. She quickly observed the water per procedure. No noticeable differences at 75%. She watched a huge plume of light blue energy shoot upward into the Firing Chamber. When that was complete, she quickly observed the structural integrity of everything. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the aiming apparatus begin to shake slightly and what looked like a small rupture emerging right before the inlet to the Stones Chamber. That would cause more delays. “Executor, we now have potential loss of aiming and a coolant leak at 75%.”

“Fire when ready,” Osborne coldly ordered. It was time to see if the apparatus could aim well enough when shaking.

A few seconds later, the energy discharged with the same loudness it had before. It went crazily down the range at ridiculous velocity. It did not hit the church head on, but due to the power level enough of the beam hit the target. In almost an instant, the white building, and its inhabitants, were completely frozen. In the next instant, the magnitude of the burst’s force leveled everything into tiny crystals. There was no blood to be seen, nor would it be seen until it melted some time later.

Osborne whistled some approval. “All right! Reset the apparatus, and get the mechanics in there. Everyone else, take a well deserved fifteen. We’ll brief results then in Room 2.”

The operator invited everyone to a cigarette break, as she always did. Once again, there were no takers. She even encouraged two scientists to join. After what they had seen, she argued that they could use the nicotine to calm their nerves. After the second refusal, she found herself alone on the smoke pad with no one else around.

She pulled out her custom lighter. She refilled it regularly with some of Utok’s choice fuels. As she lit her personally rolled cigarette, she took her puffs and leaned back perfectly into a position that was very comfortable.

It also, she had discovered, kept her out of surveillance feeds.

She had no time to fail. She quickly removed her very small and custom DATE and fired off the latest results of the testing. When she saw the lights indicating the data was received, she quickly shut it off and replaced it in the secret compartment hidden in her cigarette case. She smiled. Utok still didn’t know anything.

She then leaned forward to feign staring at the shooting range that was in front of her. She finished her cigarette, observed the last of the messy, yet peaceful cleanup by the remnants of the church, and quickly returned to take her seat in Room 2, ready to hear the recycled barbs and concerns over her smoking habit.


	53. The Calling

Terra finally found Locke in his normal spot of reflection. It was a quiet section of Figaro castle wall accessible only through a seldom-used alcove and tunnel. He had spent many a night up there in his past reflecting about what bothered him at the time. He had come here to talk to Rachel many times. He had also come here to determine how he had felt about Celes many times. He had reminisced about his childhood, his deceased family, his shortcomings, and his doubts. This had been his sanctuary up until he had moved in with Celes. Now, it seemed fitting to use it to ponder what he was now feeling.

Terra was quiet enough not to disturb him, though she knew him well enough to see he knew she had shown up. She chose to remain silent. She had shown Celes how to get Locke to open up to her. She knew how he acted far better than he realized. He had become her first friend in the world after her slave crown had been removed, allowing her to finally remember the world and life and feelings. He had told her he would protect her without much of a reason why, only that the Returners wished it so, and that was good enough for him to believe she was a good person. He had become like family to her, a brother that only wanted what was best for her, even if he joked that Edgar didn’t fit the bill. It was only right to want the best for him.

She finally saw Locke sigh. She knew it was only a matter of time. Thankfully, so did he. He turned to her. “Hey, Terra.”

“Hey, Locke,” she replied. She simply smiled at him. Suddenly, she looked confused. Locke had run up to her and now had her in his embrace. She quickly wrapped her arms around him. She felt his hurt inside and his tears outside. Her maternal side quickly took hold. “It’s okay, Locke, you know you can always talk to me.”

It took a minute for Locke to regain his composure before he quickly entered another trance. Terra merely held his hands and let him finish his thoughts. She knew it would take but a few moments. She smiled as he came to and looked at her. “Terra?”

“Locke, what’s so hard to figure out here? You know I’m worried sick about you.”

“I know, I know,” he sighed. “I feel bad now. You don’t deserve extra stress from me, especially with a little one on the way.”

“Hush,” she soothingly said to him. “You don’t deserve to suffer alone in your thoughts anymore.”

Locke sighed again. He closed his eyes. “The visions I’m getting, they frighten me. I fear they are leading me down a terrible path. Still, I’m scared I can’t fight it, because I know who I am and what I am capable of.”

“It’s okay, Locke. Relax a little bit. It’s just us. Collect your thoughts. Don’t back out on your own advice to me, that you get to choose the path you walk.”

Locke forced a smile at that, but discomfort still held him subdued. He closed his eyes. “I see Celes and the kids.” Emotion began to well up inside him. Terra held him closer. “We’re all there. And then,” he began to shudder, “they are taken from us. Utok soldiers. Celes is handcuffed and taken away screaming. I know the kids are destined to serve Utok. Celes, I’ve no clue what they do to her. All I know is that I see the hangman drop the floor below me,” and then Locke began crying again.

Terra held him, a tear beginning to fall from her cheek. Emotions were flowing through her now that she didn’t expect. The sadness and comfort were expected, but empathy was not. It began to bug her why she seemed to understand exactly why his strange story resonated with her. She looked at him with a smile. “Is that what you saw in the war room and just now?”

“Aye. And when we discussed the information before the Executors requested the meeting, when we were discussing the possibility of war turning true.”

Terra quickly turned cold and shivered. She quickly gave Locke a long, tightly squeezed hug. “Locke, listen to me, you need to talk to her about this. Now.”

“About what? The visions will only scare her.”

“You don’t have to mention the visions,” she snapped. “But you do have to tell her what you’re considering.”

Locke looked up at her, stunned. Somehow, she knew his conflict. “Terra?”

Terra shook her head. “No, this is something you must do. Locke, I understand somewhat how you feel. When I heard you discuss the visions, I got what I am guessing are similar feelings you felt. I understand why they scare you. They’d scare me. But I can’t argue how powerful they are.”

Locke blinked. “Do you think it’s wise?”

“I don’t know. That, however, is something you two will decide.” She sighed. “It isn’t right or wrong. It’s a choice. It’s one a lot of people may choose to make and one that has already been made for a lot of people. You two have the luxury of choosing.”

Locke started to groan. Terra massaged his temples. “My gods, your massages are amazing.”

“Best leave that part out when you talk to Celes,” she chuckled. “She’s very sensitive about stuff like that.”

“I know, I know. I’m just so torn right now. I wish I could blink and in an instant have the conflict over.”

“I wish we could have that luxury too.” She suddenly tapped her ETCH. She listened, and then nodded. Her smile remained, but Locke could see dread. She muttered something quietly into the receiver, being sure to cover her mouth. “Let’s go, Locke.”

“Where to?”

“To Celes. She’s worried about you. And you need to be with her now. It’s of utmost importance.”

Locke quietly nodded, then gave Terra another hug. “Thank you, as always, for listening.” He then stared into her eyes. The hurt and pain there left him no room for second guesses. She already knew where his heart had shifted. She had seen it before, a hallmark of his personality. Locke wished she wasn’t so sad in this moment, but he understood her concerns and fears. He also understood why she didn’t talk him out of it. Inside of her, the same feelings manifested themselves as her maternal instincts. To fight, no matter what, to ensure the safety of her child. Celes would understand that sentiment too.

_Protect_.

He shuddered as he and Terra began the trek back to the war room. So many other families would be forced into the same dilemma that he and Celes were soon to have. In that moment, he wished both that others could finally take the burden of the world’s path from him and that he could take it all upon himself.

 

About five minutes later, Terra entered the war room again with Locke in tow. Edgar, Celes, Kingsley, and LaPlace all looked up with concern on their faces. Locke initially tried to hide his expression from Celes, but he then silently cursed his cowardice and turned to see his beautiful wife. Her look of pure worry made his inner turbulence pale in comparison. He breathed in big, and without saying a word walked up to Celes, placed his arms around her, and gave her a very passionate kiss that she happily returned. Even through that, though, she sensed his dichotomy and knew he was more interested in a serious conversation. She looked at him and smiled. “Where would you like to talk?”

Edgar tried to lighten the mood. “Euphemisms, eh?”

“No,” Locke said coldly, giving Edgar a stare. He then looked at Celes and sighed. “Sorry, that came out a little harsh. Could we get a few minutes back in our room?”

“Locke, we still have some plans to work out.”

“They will wait, then, Edgar,” Celes replied, as cold as Locke had been a moment ago.

Edgar began to protest, but both Terra and Kingsley placed hands on his shoulders. They stared at each other awkwardly before Kingsley reflexively clutched his ribs. Terra smirked and then looked at Edgar. “You will give them this. We can continue to form strategies while they do this.”

“Agreed,” added Kingsley.

Edgar sighed. “Very well, we could all take a little break.”

 

Back in the room, Celes and Locke put their arms around each other. Celes placed her head on his right shoulder. “Are you feeling any better? You worried me and Edgar sick.”

Locke sighed in a way that Celes knew to expect a rough conversation. He knew not to dance around this. “Not really. I need to ask you something.”

Celes, being on guard, knew she needed to smile and accept whatever would be asked. She also knew it was a genuine smile. After so much time lost to the past, she had full trust in Locke to know they could work out whatever was intending to hurt them now. “Of course, Locke. You know you can ask me anything.”

“I’m scared about that, right now.”

“Please don’t be. No matter how heavy it is, we can talk it out. Please, Locke.”

“Okay,” he said on a short breath. He took a deep breath and exhaled. He looked into her stunning blue eyes, seeing both warmth and coldness. She had no idea what he was about to ask. Still, he knew Terra was right. Running from this feeling would cause too much friction.

“Celes, I feel the desire to go out there and fight Utok.”

He suddenly looked down, almost ashamed at what he had just said. After all they had been through, he was now asserting his intention to jump back into the dangers of the world. Even worse, it had come out more like a declaration and not a request. He cursed under his breath. He also silently cursed his sudden struggle to be open and honest with his own wife.

After what seemed like an eternity, he felt his face lifted up by her warm, gentle hands. He knew he had to look her in the eyes, so he did. What he saw stunned him. He guessed she was very much in the same mindset Terra had been. He had awoken some form of maternal rage that desired to go out there and destroy the entire Utok race if it ensured their children’s survival, yet he had also awoken fear and concern. What had stunned him the most, though, was how warm and inviting her eyes seemed to be. As amazing as it felt, it also unnerved him how much more comfortable she seemed with his declaration than he did.

Suddenly, her lips found their way to his. For a while, they simply held positions, before she brought him in closer for more passionate kisses. Finally, she leaned back and lovingly gazed at him.

He was now slightly confused. _Did she hear me right?_ “Celes?”

She slowly exhaled. “Locke?”

“Celes, how do you feel about what I said?”

“It terrifies me,” she finally replied. “But I shouldn’t be so surprised.” He noticed her gaze remained warm and steadfast. “You’ve thrown yourself out there for me my entire adult life. You never rested until you felt I was fully protected. Even after you used to joke around the time we defeated Kefka how silly it was that I hadn’t started protecting you, you still felt the urge to ensure I was okay.” She brought a hand to his cheek. “It only makes sense that in this moment you’d want to kill every Utok soldier you could to protect me and the children.”

“Celes, just say the word and I won’t go,” he suddenly blurted out. Shame hit him almost instantly.

“Locke,” Celes replied, “how badly do you need to do this?”

Locke began to weep. “I don’t know. It just feels like I _have_ to do this, like some part of my soul will just wither if I’m not out there doing everything I can to ensure your survival and our kids’ survival. But that part of me scares me now. This is so much more, now. We’re married, we have two amazing kids coming soon. It terrifies me just as much to know that I could lose my chance to be here for all of that.” He groaned and rubbed his temples. He felt Celes push his hands away and take over the massage. He moaned. “Gods, you have the hands of an angel.”

Celes smiled at the success. She was using this time to process what he had been saying. A big part of her wanted to just belt out the word “No!” Still, the more she thought about it, the more she knew what her response would be. She couldn’t talk him out of it if she knew she’d be volunteering for the frontlines if she hadn’t been expecting to deliver in almost seven weeks.

Besides, she knew her husband. As much as his strange desire to protect her from the day he had met her had felt forced from a life of regret, it had taken the end of the world and some weird bounces for her to realize that no matter how it had started, it had become an urge to protect out of love. It had always permeated every action he made outside of his six month exodus, and even then the very decision to join Shadow Ops had been made with her in mind. It didn’t have to make logical sense, but it made sense to her. And now, with their two babies on the way, she knew it had only magnified inside him like it had magnified in her. She’d spend eternity in darkness to keep her children one minute more in a state of perpetual bliss.

She finally stopped rubbing and caught his eye. “Locke, I know this is what you want. I won’t take that from you. I can’t take from you what I’d want for myself if I could do it.” A tear began to form in her eye.

His eye now matched hers again. He knew what his decision was, and as noble as it felt at the time, it also filled him with regret.

 

The two remained in their room, once again terrified of the uncertainties facing them. Somehow, though, there were still constants in the variables. Once again, Locke was willing to do whatever it took to protect those he cared about the most. Celes was willing to stick with his decision with no issues. All that had changed was the conflict.

“Shall we join the others?” Locke finally asked.

“Not yet. Locke, please lie with me,” Celes pleaded. Suddenly, she was happily being carried to their bed. She was placed down carefully and had two pillows propped for her feet quickly after. The pillows for her head were fluffed just right and replaced. Finally, Locke was there to her left. He didn’t look out of breath and didn’t break a sweat. She smiled. “Thank you.”

Together, they lay there for a long period of time. They were unsure of when they had fallen asleep, but Celes awoke on her right side with Locke’s arm in its expected position of holding her stomach hostage. She smiled and yawned, shifting her body to give her joints some movement. The motion brought Locke slowly back to reality as well. With his eyes barely open, he leaned forward and gave Celes several kisses on the back of the neck.

Neither of them had forgotten about the decision they had come to. It mirrored the same choice made by many in the world. Their pain and grief from it would flow differently than any one else’s. Still, it made every kiss and touch stronger, longer lasting, and more memorable. Given that both were now terrified of Locke’s death warrant, these were moments to treasure.

Reality was driven home, however, when they heard Edgar hammering on the door. “Locke, Celes, we need you. Now. Are you two okay?”

Both grumbled as they got themselves ready again and walked to the door. When they opened their door, their look finished their spurning Edgar now felt.

“We’re going to be okay, I think,” Locke said grumpily.

“How could we not? War is a picnic, after all,” Celes followed with a slight sarcastic cheer in her voice.

“Hey, I hope the four hour nap was good to both of you. I don’t want to fight, but I know you’d both be interested in the latest Utok intel.”

Locke grabbed the report out of his hands and began to read. He sighed heavily. “As expected, they began testing immediately.” He continued reading. “Hmm, expedited. Only necessary testing to understand weapon capabilities.” He looked up at Edgar. “Any word on success yet?”

“None,” Edgar replied. “They expect to start the testing on forestry first before moving on to human testing, according to our deep cover agents.”

“We still must move on planning a path that disables or sinks the _Juggernaut_ ,” Celes muttered. “Any ideas thus far?”

Edgar rolled his eyes. “Sir Kingsley and the Shadows have come up with several options thus far, but I’m not keen on them. Some involve focusing fire on the newly reinforced hull she apparently has. Some involve bombing the weapon’s location on the main decks. Still others involve trying to blockade Tzen’s harbors.”

“Which ones do they think will have the best success rate?”

Edgar lowered his eyes as he handed Celes a new report he was holding. She did not take this sign well as she began reading. Afterward, she looked up at Edgar angrily. “Edgar, are you saying we don’t have the firepower to sink the _Juggernaut_?”

“That’s what deep cover believes, anyways,” he sulked. “The hull is now wrapped in adamantium. We’d have a better chance just shooting at the weapon.”

Locke quickly shifted behind Celes to support her. She cursed quite loudly. “Brilliant. We need to find a way to destroy this weapon _now_.”


	54. Alliances and Betrayals

By the evening of the day the _Phalanx_ sank, the Kazen declared war. They also quickly mobilized and either killed or took captive roughly 95% of the Utok forces on continents that held their territories. Most of the fighting had caught them off guard, as they had expected Lord Alma to attempt diplomacy first. Lord Alma, however, had trusted Celes’ suspicion when she had approached her and Kinnick merely weeks earlier to discuss her new circumstantial theory that Utok was waiting for the right moment to claim the last stone from her depot.

She simply didn’t prepare well enough for a strategy like Utok had employed.

She immediately tasked her closest advisors to work with General Curley and develop a counterattack that could at least ensure the Kazen’s border security. Curley did not fail in this regard. Only two Kazen soldiers died in roughly five skirmishes and two brawls. Still, Curley did not smile and celebrate the retaliation. She also believed now that Utok had the capabilities to summon Diabolos’ energy or perhaps the esper itself. That failure to protect the world rested on her shoulders, and it nearly devastated her.

Luckily, she looked up at her husband and daughter. They had forced Curley to let them move to New Narshe shortly after Locke left medical care, leaving behind a lifetime of memories and love at the house they had owned for nearly eighteen years. In the end, she knew it was the right decision to ensure their safety. Now, they were comforting her, reminding her that so long as she gave it her all, they knew the world would be saved.

Eventually, she was summoned again to Lord Alma’s chambers. Once inside, she touched her left shoulder. “Lord Alma, I am here as requested.”

Lord Alma didn’t look up. Her calmness was very reassuring to Curley. “Testing began. Report is here.”

Kinnick looked somewhat frail. Lack of sleep had begun to affect him slightly. “Our agents are getting ready to find out about the new round of testing designed to target people.”

Curley finished the read. “And their intel is coming from Figaro, my Lord?”

“Indeed.”

“Has Figaro declared war yet?”

“Not yet. I assume they are letting Utok think they have pulled the wool over someone’s eyes,”

Curley leaned back. She began pondering a new idea. “My Lord, if Figaro has the capabilities to know this enemy, have we reached out to talk to them about an alliance?”

“Not yet,” Kinnick replied. “Figaro enjoys a slight advantage over being neutral. It gives a surprise attack more traction, such as ours tonight.”

“I’m not sure what we all can do, if this weapon really has such potential power. They intend to bring it on the seas with them?”

“Aye, General.”

“Perhaps I could head down to Figaro and talk strategies for sinking this new ship?”

Alma suddenly looked up. Her look displayed more curiosity than the anger Curley had expected. “General, do you trust your colonels and commanders to run your plans while you are not here?”

“Aye, my Lord. They reported rousing successes thus far, and General Jarvis has covered here for me before. He can contact me as needed. Right now, our priority, as I see it, is to stop this weapon. It seems to be working, and two kingdoms working together behind the scenes can certainly help find some way to stop it.”

“The plan works for me. Contact Figaro and let them know General Curley is coming their way, then summon General Jarvis here,” Alma ordered her page.

“How long until you expect a response, my Lord?”

“It matters not. Head there now. He won’t refuse you.”

Curely touched her left shoulder and headed out back to her room in the complex. There, she gave her family hugs and kisses goodbye as she explained what her new mission was.

She intended to do whatever she could to help Figaro and the Kazen survive Utok’s new magical cannon.

She arrived at the castle several hours later, well past midnight. Sir Kingsley was there to welcome her.

 

Throughout the night, Celes barely slept. Tea had replaced adrenaline to maintain her status as being awake. Reports every couple of hours of the continuing success of the expedited testing had kept her enthusiasm low and her sense of impending defeat growing. No one was any closer to figuring out how to stop the _Juggernaut_. A lot seemed hopeless.

This time, though, General Curley was there continuing to pump optimism in the war room. Celes was once again floored and impressed by how Curley conducted herself. Her differences in military strategy had allowed the room to begin exploring many alternative ideas. Currently, they were brainstorming an amphibious assault on Tzen to control the port the _Juggernaut_ now lay in.

“That’s a large casualty rate expected. We have to do better,” Celes groaned as she rubbed her temples.

“I agree, Celes, but right now we have to figure out something to stop them from being able to get the ship out of the harbor… the hell?”

Suddenly, the door flew open, and Locke walked in with an angry look in his eyes. Edgar followed behind looking just as angry. “Locke, it’s out of the question. You are not trained to be a soldier.”

“I can pick it up quick enough!” Locke shouted. Inside, he stewed. Edgar had already blocked his request to join the army or navy and head out to battle Utok, and that meant he had no choice but to wait out the next few days, weeks, or however long it would take for the world’s people to decide who was the strongest.

Suddenly, he looked up and saw Curley, who was giving him a strange look. They hadn’t seen each other since the wedding. He quickly gulped and touched his left shoulder. “General, I apologize! I didn’t expect to see you!”

“Stop the formal bullshit, Locke,” she laughed as she walked over and gave him a hug. “Great to see you.” Then she gave him a very serious stare. “What’s this about military service?”

Celes spoke up. “Locke wants to go out there and fight.”

“And I will not allow him without proper military training,” Edgar interjected.

Locke and Celes sighed. Curley looked at Edgar. She realized that the Coles had already agreed to this decision. “Your Majesty, we could use all the manpower we can find.”

“Are we still thinking about invading their harbor?”

“Aye, your Majesty. It at least gives us a chance to disrupt their ship with troops if we do believe we cannot sink her.”

Locke mumbled his dissent and found his way to Celes. He gave her a kiss. “Sounds like I’m here developing strategies instead.”

She kissed him back. “That’s not a bad thing. You have much more of a knack with this than I ever realized. It will definitely help Figaro out.” She then placed his arms around her belly. “It will help all of us out.” She then looked at Curley. “What maneuvers have given you the best success against their troops? We haven’t really engaged them except on the sea.”

“Honestly, the best we’ve had has been when we struck them as they didn’t expect it.” Curley grumbled. “I think they have had advance warnings on some attacks from their vast information networks. I imagine the sea would be the same way.”

Celes pondered that. “We could send our fleet out south and sneak up from behind the _Juggernaut_ and her support ships. They’d expect us to engage from the front along the coast.”

“It’s definitely a good plan,” Kingsley thought aloud. “But I imagine they’d still expect it somewhat. They’ll see our warships on the horizon if they come out in the day and still most likely in the night.”

Suddenly, Celes turned to Locke. She knew the look he now had. “Locke? What’s going on in that mind of yours? Let us know when you’ve flushed out your idea.”

It took several moments, but then Locke quickly looked at Kingsley. “Kingsley, what more do we know about the _Juggernaut_?”

Kingsley pulled up a rather large file. “Quite a bit. Let’s see,” he spoke as he read through the synopsis in the front, “she’s designed to support minimal crew of roughly fifty. Two steam engines power her below main decks. Roughly two hundred fifty feet in length. Hull is wrapped in adamantium. Middle weather deck has been fitted to support the new weapon they have built and are currently testing. Other than this weapon, she still has their normal guns and cannons.”

Now everyone saw Locke’s focus. He then looked at Kingsley again. “Do we have schematics for the layout of the hull and their engine room?”

“Indeed, but why do you ask?”

“Let me see them.”

Kingsley searched the file and pulled out several blueprints. Locke walked over to quickly inspect them. Celes followed out of curiosity. She wanted to see what he was thinking about. Nothing in the schematic clicked as crucial data. She did see his eye begin to twinkle, though. It began to warm her up inside with a ray of hope.

Locke looked at Kingsley one more time. “Any intel on their engine design?”

“It’s the same design we use, only on a larger scale. Locke,” Kingsley questioned, “what idea have you come up with?”

“Well, I did come up with a theory, and after seeing these schematics, I think it is a possibility to explore.”

“What is it, love?” Celes asked. He then held her hand down to a sketch of the hull of the _Juggernaut_. She followed the adamantium shading to what looked like a flat spot. “Locke, I don’t get it. What does the port front hull have to do with us? It’s adamantium as well.”

“Not the hull, Celes. The ladder to this hatch here.”

Celes looked closer, then suddenly looked up at Locke. A twinkle of fear and courage came with her eyes now. “Locke? Are you serious?”

Locke grinned. “This is something they’d never expect.”

Everyone still looked confused. Edgar broke the tension. “Okay, what are you two talking about? I’m getting sick of the buildups. Just speak your plan!”

“Okay, Your Majesty,” Locke chuckled. “I propose that we send a couple of people to this position to board the _Juggernaut_. From there, we can run sabotage inside the ship. They will not expect it at all.”

Kingsley and Curley both began to smile at the same time. “That’s fantastic!” she belted out. “We can plot the demise of the ship from both internal and external sources. Doubles our chances of victory!”

“Wait a second,” Terra interjected. “Those volunteers would be getting shot at by our own cannons. Even more, how do we get anyone there? We can’t get there underwater, and they’ll see people on the water.”

“Way ahead of you, Terra,” Locke answered. “Shadow Ops _does_ have the ability to travel underwater.  First, find Gau. His treasure might save the world.”

“The scuba helmets!” Edgar shouted. “Simply brilliant! Still, we would be placing our own people in an incredibly dangerous environment. I’m not sure I can guarantee survival of those who do this plan.”

“Your Majesty,” Kingsley beamed, “the Shadows are perfect for this plan.”

“They are, but this is dangerous. Deadly force will be expected. Not exactly their forte.”

“Your Majesty, at least allow me to round up some volunteers. How many scuba helmets do we have?”

“Three.”

“I’ll find three volunteers, no problem!”

“Actually, you can find two.”

Suddenly, the room turned to Locke after he announced his decree. He looked around at everyone and then looked at Celes. Her eyes’ warmth and courage invaded him. “I volunteer for this mission.”

Edgar instantly shook his head. “No. That is final. We’ll find others.”

“Edgar?”

“No, Locke!”

“Um, Edgar, that was Celes,” Terra whispered to him.

Edgar grumbled. “Yes, Celes?”

Celes took a deep breath. Her emotions and her military training were both at odds and in unison, but she knew what she was about to say was the truth and crucial for victory. “You know he’s the best man for the job.” She then turned to look at Locke. He was looking in her eyes, smiling, trying to fight back the tear that was coming in his left eye. She squeezed his hand and smiled back.

Edgar, however, cursed loudly and then abruptly walked out. Terra quickly followed him, begging him to return.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Kingsley spoke. “I’ll find three volunteers, just in case Her Highness cannot sway him.” He then left the room tapping his ETCH.

Curley then looked at the Coles. “It’s a brilliant plan, Locke.”

“Thank you. I just don’t know why Edgar is so hesitant on this.”

“I don’t think he is. I think he’s hesitating on you.”

“But why? He knows I’m the best man-“

“For the job, I get it,” Curley finished the thought. “But I get his hesitation.”

“I’m not sure we do,” Celes countered. “These aren’t plans to send our second best.”

“I do agree, Celes, but I’m just saying I get his reaction. After all the hell he was willing to take to get Locke back the first time, I’m sure his first thought is that this is something of a betrayal of friendship. I don’t think he wants to take responsibility for risking him or the future of your family now after what happened to him in New Narshe.”

Locke sighed. He turned to Celes. “I’m going to go talk to him.”

“Shall I join?”

“I think I can handle this. Besides, I’m sure you two can figure out the best way to damage the Stones or the _Juggernaut_ from the inside without all of us here.”

“You can count on it!” Curley bragged as she began to review the engine room layout.

 

Terra had already been talking to Edgar when Locke showed up in the throne room. When he approached, he saw Terra crying and Edgar angrily shouting about how he felt betrayed that Terra sided with Locke and Celes. They both suddenly shot around as Locke slammed the door, announcing his presence.

“Locke?” Terra cried out.

“Aye, it’s me.”

“Locke, I will deal with you in a minute,” Edgar coldly hissed.

“No, you won’t,” Locke calmly replied.

“Do not test me right now!”

“It’s no test. I simply want to talk to you. You’re one of my best friends. Please, Edgar, just listen to what I have to say.”

Edgar grumbled. He looked at Terra. “We’ll finish this later.”

Terra slapped him and walked out crying and angry. Locke rubbed her shoulder as she passed him. He then looked up at his friend. “Haven’t found much time to talk to you recently.”

“Life gets in the way a lot, now doesn’t it?”

“Aye, it does, as it does now.”

“Locke, I’m not letting you do this.”

“So I heard earlier. What I didn’t hear, though, is an explanation as to why.”

“Really? Now we all have to provide you reasons for our actions?”

Locke winced at the personal attack. Still, he maintained his calm demeanor. “Well, Edgar, if that’s your intention, then you win. You were right, it is damaging to act like that to friends.” He dropped his head. “I’m sorry about how much I hurt you and Terra over a year ago. I never knew your resentment had grown so much. Just please promise me you’ll find Terra and apologize to her for your remarks earlier, and I will drop the subject. I’ll take your hatred right now from you so you two can forgive each other.”

Edgar dropped his jaw, stunned at his friend’s request. “You’d give up this mission if I promised to do something I already know I have to do? Apologize to Terra?”

“Yes. I will hate myself for it for a long time, but if you feel as you claim, I’d rather do this for you and her.”

Edgar started gasping for air. He was not expecting such a calm, thoughtful Locke to appear here before him. After all, he knew what Locke was going through. They had all experienced it some form or another as they had tried to save the world before. Edgar knew then how much he desired to protect Terra, his new family, and Figaro, much like Locke yearned to do his part to save Celes and his family from a bleak future. Edgar dropped to the ground and sat in a defeated pose.

“Initially, I think I was mad that all the decisions I had made that got you nearly killed in New Narshe now seemed to mean nothing to you. It was like my opinion on a mission I have to authorize suddenly didn’t matter.”

“Edgar, it means a lot. If you have reasons enough, that will be enough for me.”

“But they are the wrong reasons,” Edgar muttered. “Sometimes I have to remember that being king means making the most painful choice solely because it is the right one. I followed that edict when I was willing to publicly shame myself on your behalf.” He looked up at Locke. “I need to follow that now more than ever. My kingdom and my people’s lives and livelihoods depend on it.” Edgar slowly got up to his feet. “Locke, can you accept my apologies for the way I acted?”

“Absolutely,” Locke said, smiling, as he gave him a hug. “Outside of Celes, you’re the best friend I got. I won’t let an emotional outburst break that again.”

“My gods, you sound more mature than me. Shadow Ops do that to you?”

“No, I think my past failures did enough for me on that. They did help train my mind, though.”

“Good. That training had best not fail you onboard the _Juggernaut_.”

Locke blinked and smiled. “Edgar? You’re sure about this?”

Edgar smiled back. “Who am I kidding? You are the best man for the job. Figaro needs you.”

“Glad you see that,” Locke chuckled. “I’ll find Terra and talk to her for you. She'll understand soon enough.”

“That I definitely do appreciate.”

“Edgar? I can’t guarantee success on this, but I swear I will do everything I can to preserve Figaro.”

“I know you will, Locke. Protect the darkness to save the light.”

Locke looked confused. “Thought you hated that?”

Edgar walked out of the throne room, smiling. “Couldn’t let you say it just to piss me off.” He disappeared.

Locke laughed. For the first time in a while, he felt optimistic that Figaro could win the day. He then ran off to find Terra.


	55. Preparations

Osborne was now back with the Executors. It had been roughly a day and a half since the meeting with Figaro. “High Council, it has gone better than we could have imagined.”

“Sounds like it,” Dewitt whistled as he read the reports. “So 100% testing was scrapped?”

“Yes, Executor. After the three sets of emergency repairs allowed us to sustain a 75% attack and 80% attack, our engineers simply set that as the maximum power we should utilize.”

Morgan frowned. “Our plan was to fire from as great a distance as we could. Half a mile puts us right in the waters their ships gain immense tactical advantage from.”

“Worry not,” Osborne beamed. “We can fire and reload the Firing Chamber in roughly two minutes. Further, our three operators excelled at hitting moving targets. The Royal Navy will fall before our ships and Magic Cannon.”

“Magic Cannon?” Olson grumbled. “I was hoping for something better than that for a name.”

“It works for what we intend to do,” Dewitt countered. “Status of the apparatus?”

“Should be functional on the _Juggernaut_ within the hour,” Osborne proclaimed.

“Executor Osborne,” Morgan announced, “you will be onboard to ensure proper usage.”

“Of course. Have we decided on when we shall strike?”

“Indeed,” Dewitt chuckled. “You sail tonight at nine.”

“Seven hours or so of rest. Works for the crew and for me.”

“Remember, do not go above 80%. We will alert you if South Figaro refuses to surrender.”

“South Figaro? I thought taking the Nikeah trade routes was the priority.”

“Thanks to Celes Cole, that has changed,” Olson remarked. He dropped his head. “She and her husband are too dangerous to our plans. We want to send a message to them that they cannot protect their city. We need anything we can to ensure as much of an edge over Figaro, and that means we try and hit her psychologically and physically.”

“Diabolos is advantage enough!” Osborne protested.

“Stop with your damn pride!” Dewitt howled. “You will follow this plan as you are acting as General of Utok! Go forth and get your personnel ready. Your priority shall be the fall of South Figaro. General Alford will distract the Kazen. That is all.”

Once outside, Osborne shouted himself hoarse and punched a chair. Once again, his efforts felt marginalized by that damn South Figaro Vice Chancellor.

 

Minutes later, he met with the captains of the seven vessels scheduled to leave that evening en route to South Figaro. “Captains, as you well know by now, tonight we sail out to make our mark on the world. Our focus is to protect the _Juggernaut_ and force surrender of South Figaro. In the event that they refuse, we shall open fire with Diabolos and burn as much of her to the ground as we can. Get your crews some rest. It’s going to be a long night.”

One captain piped up. “Estimated time to strike South Figaro?”

“Takes about five hours to maneuver off the shore based off how fast we wish to go. Expect surrender or attack in the 0200 hour.”

Another captain spoke next. “Plans for handling their Royal Navy?”

“Easy. If they attack, Diabolos can end them. Still, the six support ships will take maneuvers to guard the _Juggernaut_ and also engage the enemies until we can get Diabolos operational. We want to salvage as many ships as possible, but the priority will be the _Juggernaut_. I know it sounds grim, but this is the plan the High Council has decided on to best serve Utok’s interests. Hopefully, the late hour will catch them snoozing.”

Finally, a third captain looked at Osborne, looking nervous. “Gotta ask because I admit I am scared shitless of it, but any chance you bring Diabolos back to life with that thing?”

“Worry not, it is a fair concern! We have limited our firing capabilities to 80% due to our desire to ensure structural integrity of the Stones Chamber. It wasn’t nearly close enough to worry about uniting the Stones. Besides, even at 100% the Stones do not touch. We can’t even accidentally unite them, assuming that would actually bring him back.”

“Good enough for me,” the captain laughed, still a bit nervous.

“Good. Now, go prepare.”

Everyone broke. The third captain, who led the warship _Ganymede_ , informed his officers of the plan. The crew was off until 2030, but at that point muster would be taken. He explained the mission and then left them to tell their divisions.

One officer, who led the mechanics in the engine room, told his sailors the plan. They would need to be on board by 2000 to get the engines running. Once they left their meeting room, he sighed and pulled out a cigarette. He then slid his slim, tiny DATE out from a secret compartment and typed up the war plan, sending it to Mission Control. As he heard the machine beep acknowledgement of the sent plans, he mumbled. It was about the absurdity of not being able to receive messages on his DATE, despite the technology capable to accomplish this. He remembered Kingsley saying that the new regulations were designed to ensure enemies couldn’t see new reports, but he really missed being able to communicate in times like these.

 

The report succeeded in the short term for the High Council. Celes was unable to control her emotions upon learning that South Figaro was now at risk. She was, however, thankful that she had gotten two hours of sleep through the morning. She knew Locke hadn’t heard yet, so she excused herself from General Curley, Edgar, and Terra. She wanted to let him know in person.

She made her way into Shadow Ops’ new compound to where Locke and the two Shadow volunteers were now preparing for their mission. She only knew them as Shadows 44, a veteran of the organization, and 228, chosen primarily because of his background in swimming. She found the group being briefed by LaPlace. Locke was still getting used to the new design of the ETCH and DATE he now had custody of, marveling at its sticky bottom. Shadow 228 was studying the _Juggernaut_ ’s layout. Shadow 44 was teasing Locke about a pigsty.

Locke did notice her approach. He smiled and quickly got up to give Celes a hug and kiss. “How did you sleep?”

“Well enough, but it matters not,” she muttered. “Locke, you three will be leaving very soon. Probably within the next two hours. They intend to depart at nine tonight.”

Locke did the calculation in his head. “It won’t take them that long to reach Nikeah.”

“Locke,” she spoke as she began to shake, “they’ve chosen South Figaro as their target.”

She felt his emotions leave his body through his hug. She tried desperately now to get them to return, bringing him as close to her in her embrace as she could. She then hid her own tears in his shoulder. “Locke, I’m so sorry.”

Then, she felt him looking at her again. She looked up to see an expression she had very rarely seen. It filled her with fear and excitement. The twinkle in his eye had a flame around it. It resembled the look he had given her way back in Kohlingen after Rachel had finally passed on and the spirit of the Phoenix had granted him the magic to uphold his promise to protect her life. In that moment, she believed he was capable of anything. “Locke, say something?”

He then gave her arguably the most passionate kiss he had ever given her. Once it was over, he fixed his new gaze on her. “I will bring that ship down myself if I have to, but they won’t touch our city!” he declared loudly.

Their gaze into each other’s eyes was now surrounded by the crazed excitement and screaming of Shadows 44 and 228, as well as the several other Shadow Ops employees that had heard his creed. Locke had transferred his charisma to the people in the room, and they had responded in kind. Now they had a huge mob of Shadows around them, feeding the excitement until it built into a crescendo that half the castle was able to hear.

 

“Locke, my boy, are you sure two ETCHes and DATEs are a good idea?”

“Kingsley, I’m not budging on this. I intend to keep my channel with Celes.”

Kingsley grumbled. Five minutes before departure to the shore and now he was learning that Locke was intending on bringing extra gear. “Just make sure you don’t fill our channels with unnecessary information.”

“Done and done.”

Locke was now dressed for his newest mission. His wetsuit concealed his equipment to ensure it didn’t get ruined in the ocean. His goggles were a bit too big and made Terra call him a blue bumblebee. His flippers were stowed behind him.

He then checked the select gear he and Celes had decided on for the mission. His favorite dagger and knife were against his left side, the dagger being the one that had stayed with him for now over five years. The knife, however, was a special treasure he had found in the Phoenix Cave. Its blade would turn a bluish color the more punishment he received, and it seemed to strengthen his strikes and stabs as this occurred. It was regarded as the Valiant Knife, and it had always helped him out when he was stacked against incredible odds, such as the situation they now faced. His right side held his trusty Wing Edge. On his hands, though, underneath the dive gloves, were two relics. First, his right hand bore the Gigas Glove, a relic that had helped him strengthen his attacks in the past. Then, his left hand bore an unusual artifact known as a Reflect Ring. It had served no purpose once magic had disappeared, but it possessed the ability to stop most magic spells and energy from ever coming into contact with its wearer. Locke had insisted on this one, and Celes had to agree. If Diabolos’ magic was summoned, Locke could hopefully protect the city with it.

Finally, per her request, he carefully placed one of her favorite sapphire necklaces into a tiny pouch and gingerly placed it between an ETCH and an emergency potion.

He then turned to Celes and the two embraced, lips locked, refusing to let go. Eventually, he pulled back slightly and dropped to his knees. He then held her abdomen in his arms, kissing his other greatest treasures. He then placed his ear against Celes’ belly button to see if he could feel another kick. He smiled as he felt two. He silently prayed.

_Gods, please grant me the vision and wisdom I need to see this through to the end, to end the threat to mankind. Please allow me the ability to save this world for my family to enjoy if you all have decided that I cannot go on. That would be the greatest gift I could provide for them, a future without fear, if I could not enjoy it with them. Gods, please grant me this one wish._

He then came back up to meet Celes’ eyes again. “I love you so much, more than life itself.”

“I love you too. Thank you for everything, your life, your love, and our family.” She then kissed him again. “I’m going to get a little sleep. Please contact me before you hit the water.”

“Of course. I will do everything I can to save you and the children.”

“I know. Just save some of that magic for you as well.”

“Gods know I will try my damnedest.”

One more passionate kiss, and then they professed their love for each other once more. The three Shadows were then escorted into a carriage that immediately broke toward South Figaro.

 

As the castle faded from view, Locke found himself alone again. He began to meditate to control his thoughts and to focus again on everything they had trained on that day. He felt confident that the three could succeed, yet he knew luck still had to give them some support. His previous missions, vice the one involving an earthquake, had a lot of planning that relied on knowing how people were going to behave. This plan was going to change that.

Suddenly, his ETCH from Celes was beeping. He tapped it. “Hey love!”

“Hey Locke, sorry, I couldn’t wait. I just, I just needed to hear your voice again.”

“Of course! That’s why I love this thing.”

“Locke, I love you so much. Promise me you’ll make it through this?”

Locke smiled. She knew he couldn’t guarantee it. “I promise. I’ll protect South Figaro and be home as soon as I can.”

He heard her slight chuckle. “Thank you for humoring me.”

“Celes, I love you. I’ve always loved you and I will always love you. I hope this makes up for my past failures.”

“Locke, you never realized it, but you made up for any and all mistakes you might ever make the night you saved me from South Figaro. I only hope my devotion to your love and health matches yours to mine.”

“I know it has.”

“Thank you again, Locke. I’m going to try and sleep again. I love you.”

“Good luck. I love you too.” He heard the ETCH shut off. Then, he smiled. Shadow 44 had listened to what he had said, and he sat there smiling.

“Quite the romantic.”

“Yes, yes I am.”

“You really think we can pull this off, don’t you.”

“And you don’t?”

“I do, I do. Just a lot more at stake here.”

“Tough mission for sure, but we’ll work well together,” Shadow 228 belted out. “They won’t know what hit them.”

Locke studied the two sets of eyes now fixed on his. “Guys, have you ever killed another human before?” Both Shadows dropped their heads. Locke’s eyes now turned stern. “Alright then, listen up. Just because you were trained with daggers today doesn’t mean you are actually trained to kill. If you have to, which I believe we all will have to do it at some point on this mission, you cannot have any regrets. You must strike hard and fast and be willing to accept one ugly truth: that failure to do so will give your opponent the opportunity to succeed where you failed.”

Both Shadows let out small gasps. Shadow 44 looked at him. “Got a lot of experience?”

“Enough to know that it is horrible, yet somehow becomes a necessary evil to survive in this world from time to time.”

Shadow 228 kept his hand controlled enough. “Think we can handle this?”

“I know we can,” Locke answered. “If we don’t, Utok might win. That should be enough to keep you on your game and the end goal in sight.” He then promptly forced himself to sleep. They would be at the shore around seven. He needed his rest for the night.

Both Shadows shifted uncomfortably as they followed suit. They were appreciative of what Locke had told them, even if it had also slapped their faces with the brutality of what lay ahead of them this mission. This was not a normal Shadow strike anymore.

This was now a Shadow's war.


	56. Journey to the Juggernaut

“Damn, now that’s a neat craft!”

“I’ll say. These helmets are a trip too. You sure they work, Shadow 15?”

Locke dunked his head underwater. He then surfaced a minute later. “Yep, mine’s still good. Enough air for twelve hours a piece.”

The three Shadows were in the ocean, just a little south of South Figaro. They were now performing their final tests on their scuba helmets and the underwater hovercraft Figaro’s military had designed. It was self-propelled and could allow all three to hold on and push them through the rough currents that lay out in the open water and under the surface.

“Never guessed I’d be a water Shadow,” Shadow 228 joked.

“First time for everything, myself included,” Shadow 44 mused. He then flipped on the hovercraft’s latest innovation: a luminescent screen that allowed the three to direct the hovercraft wherever they needed and to detect objects around them. Shadow 228 would be the pilot due to his experience in the water. “Looks good to go. Shadow 15, how long until we rendezvous with the _Juggernaut_?”

Locke calculated it in his head. “Based off top speed, we expect to meet them in roughly four hours. That would make it close to midnight.”

“Very well. All equipment checks out?”

Locke tapped his ETCHes, one at a time. Both Kingsley and Celes acknowledged him. He said his last goodbyes and then returned them to their spot inside his wetsuit. “Still working, and we have go ahead from Kingsley.”

“Awesome. Take the sides. I’ve got top of the craft. All three safety lines are now locked into the hovercraft. We’re all going for a ride whether we like it or not. Begin submergence in three, two, one.” Shadow 228 hit a button, and the hovercraft’s engine came to life. The three held on tight as the hovercraft began to hum through the water. With a slight twist of his handles, Shadow 228 set his course for the hovercraft to descend. Soon, the hovercraft and its three Shadows were safely under the water and churning in the direction of Tzen.

As soon as the depth meter read fifty feet, Shadow 228 adjusted his angle and turned on the panel. It was not possible to see it from the surface once they had passed thirty feet, so now they were indeed invisible to the world. The glow from the front beams was strong enough to show them the empty waters now in front of them. Occasionally, a fish swam past, but not much apparently existed between forty-eight and fifty-one feet below the surface of the ocean.

Locke focused ahead but continued to meditate. Roughly three hours and fifty minutes of this to go.

 

Osborne surveyed the new command center on the _Juggernaut_. He whistled his approval to the engineers and the sailors about to embark on a defining mission. _Seems wrong to be receiving as much credit as I have from all of their hard work. I’ll find some way to reward them upon success._ He then found the captain, Marvin Doering, reviewing his navigation charts. “Captain, I take it we are still good to go for an on-time departure?”

“Aye, Executor. I do apologize, though. We didn’t know we were having an esteemed guest on this trip. Your quarters will be made up in fifteen,” Doering replied.

“That won’t be necessary. I will be awake the entire time, ensuring our prized possession is ready at all times. Please do not worry about it,” 

“Wouldn’t feel right. We won’t expedite it, then.” Doering noticed his helmsman looking at him. “Give report.”

“Captain, Engine Room is ready for combat operations.”

“Acknowledged. Executor, we are standing by for your order to depart.”

“I’ll check on the other six ships. Once they all report good to go, we can depart.” Osborne then stared at the Stones Chamber in awe as the engineers were beginning to test the adamantium casing around them. The five stones still held their impressive hues as the sky began to dim. “Do not worry, we only intend to harness the energy. I, like you all, fear your unification.”

Thirteen minutes later, at 2049, seven warships left Tzen harbor and began to trek west toward the hostile continent’s coast. They would eventually begin a northern turn that would bring them right up to South Figaro’s harbor.

The sun finally set over the horizon at 2058. Soon, the armada would be traveling under complete darkness. After the captains set darkened ship conditions, they picked up their speed. All one could hear on the horizon was the low churning of the water as the ships’ propellers pushed Utok closer to their intentions.

The only other noise was a random Officer enjoying the moonlight onboard the _Ganymede_ , typing quietly on his DATE, about the ships’ movement and the unexpected visitor now onboard the _Juggernaut_.

 

Kingsley and Curley followed their charts. Kingsley studied them intently. “I expect the fleet to catch up from behind around one in the morning.”

“My math matches yours,” Curley nodded in agreement. “And the Shadows will be on board for an hour or so beforehand.”

Edgar nodded approval. “South Figaro evacuation has just begun. Now we leave it up to the Gods’ whims.” His eye then shifted to the new report handed to him by a Data Taker. He grumbled as he finished it.

Celes looked up at him. “Edgar, what’s wrong?”

“Executor Osborne is onboard the _Juggernaut_.”

Celes closed her eyes and cursed. “We may have to consider having the Shadows run their secondary positions on the ship now.”

“Not just a consideration. The other two will have better success going after the main decks now. Kingsley, Cole, as soon as the Shadows contact us, order them to second positions. Let them know of the reason as well.”

Celes bit her knuckle. “He’s much more effective going after the cannon.”

“Secrecy is the key to this working. Osborne compromises that.”

“I know. I just don’t like losing the optimal position.”

“Celes, we trained them all for this contingency. By doing so, we haven’t lost too much. Locke will be just fine, as will the others.”

Celes sighed. Then she looked at her belly. She tapped her ETCH. “Doctor Hockhousen, it’s Celes. Wondering if you have closed up shop yet? No? Excellent. Mind if I come up there for a quick check on something? Excellent, I will see you in less than five.” She got up and slowly walked to the door.

 

Ten minutes later, Hockhousen was chuckling. “Celes, the tests show simple soreness of the muscles. Your little ones have been kicking up a storm since you’ve been here.”

“So that very sharp pain is nothing to fear?”

“Nope. Blood work and tests show you are healthy as can be. That being said, you do look exhausted. I’d recommend getting some sleep.”

“Doctor, will staying awake tonight cause them problems?”

“Only if you haven’t slept much the last couple of nights.”

Celes grumbled. She knew she needed a lot more than a couple of hours. She tapped her ETCH. “Edgar, this is Celes. Getting a nap for three hours. Doctor’s orders. I’ll be sleeping in my room.” She tapped her ETCH and shook Hockhousen’s hand. “I apologize for what was an unnecessary exam.”

“Never apologize for that,” Hockhousen countered with a grin. “I have three grown children. They had me practicing my craft a lot as they grew up. This will become routine very quick.”

 

Osborne studied the horizon as it surrounded his armada. The waters were peaceful and tranquil. Aside from the magical cannon that lay twenty feet from his position, the scene could have been stolen and used for something romantic or exotic. He looked at his watch. It read 2330. He then turned to the engineers and operators that had just finished up some routine maintenance on their equipment. The Stones Chamber, the three containments, and the aiming apparatus looked brand new. Quick response testing showed that the _Juggernaut_ needed but six to seven minutes to be able to answer hostilities from Figaro’s navy. Osborne smiled. Confidence was pouring out now. He turned to Doering. “Gorgeous night.”

“Aye it is, Executor. Any updates on Figaro’s fleet?”

“Intelligence seems slightly concerned with a pair of warships patrolling between South Figaro and Nikeah. Most likely will be in a position to engage around 0130.”

“Easy to defeat. Anything else?”

“Not much else, to be honest. I’ll let you know as I learn more.”

“Aye, Executor. Care for some midrats?”

Osborne smiled. His favorite time in the Empire’s navy had been the late night food prepared by the always-happy cooks. Midnight rations, or “midrats,” always brought the best times with those who had been stuck with the night watches. People bonded well over misery. “Haven’t enjoyed them in a long time. What’s on the menu tonight?”

 

Shadow 228 quickly saw the hull of the front warship materializing ahead and above them. He motioned to each side. Now all three Shadows were about to commence arguably the toughest portion of the mission so far. Nearly four hours of staring at dark water might have been taxing on the nerves, but it was nothing compared to a precision strike at a moving target.

They had to anchor to the ladder that extended down under the water along the hull of the _Juggernaut_.

Shadow 228 quickly scanned his panel. He now made out seven similarly shaped ovals coming toward him. The larger one in the middle was his target. He smiled to himself. He was already lined up to pass along the port side of his target. He began to slow the hovercraft and descend slightly to avoid what was sure to be some powerful chop. He then waited for a few minutes before he felt the waters above him calm down. Then he scanned his panel once more. He had roughly one minute to maneuver into position.

He motioned to his left, where Locke had been holding on. Locke returned the motion, indicating he was now ready to capture the ladder. The hovercraft suddenly shifted upward toward the surface. At about twelve feet deep, the hovercraft leveled out and stopped. Right in front of them, a large ominous blob was now coming directly toward them.

Locke focused ahead through his goggles and quickly found his target coming up rather quick. He swam up and then pulled with him a retractable claw from the hovercraft. As the ladder rungs passed by, he snapped the claw onto one of them. Instantly, Shadow 228 pressed a button that began retracting the claw. The hovercraft was now being pulled slowly closer to the ladder.

Locke smiled as he pressed his safety line’s reel button. He was now being pulled closer to the hovercraft as well. In another ten to twenty, the three would be above the water. Until then, he let his arms flow freely through the cool waters. He figured he’d never get another chance to do this.

Shadow 228 was the first to reach the ladder and begin the ascent. Shadow 44 followed quickly afterward. It took Locke another minute or so to catch up to the ladder, but he quickly climbed up to join his fellow Shadows.

As he broke the surface, he felt the difference in pressure and the sudden increase in gravity. Still, he climbed up at a brisk pace. He knew he was now possibly visible and he needed to get to the hatch as fast as possible.

Finally, he reached flat ground. As fast as he could, he removed his flippers and his scuba helmet, and he quickly took a breath of fresh air. He looked around and smiled. Due to the hull design and, more importantly, the new adamantium additions, they were already covered from anyone being able to see them from above. He then looked ahead at the warship in front. Not a single soul could be found standing watch. They were most likely doubling down on the forward decks. He felt more at ease.

He quickly moved toward the hatch. Shadows 44 and 228 were already there. They gave Locke a thumbs up. All three quickly discarded their wetsuits, tucking them into a nook right by the door. They then secured their scuba helmets with their own cord in the same nook. Finally, they checked their weapons and gear. All looked good.

Locke nodded to the two Shadows as he peered at his watch. 0025. He cursed. It had taken a lot longer than expected. Still, they had roughly thirty minutes to scout the ship before inevitable bedlam would occur. He checked his two ETCHes and DATEs. First, the DATEs sent messages successfully, and then the ETCHes beeped on, showing they still worked. Locke marveled at their waterproof design and the impressive work of the overall waterproof pouch he had used. Celes answered first. He knew to call her first. He smiled when he heard her sleepy voice.

“Locke?”

“Celes, we’re onboard. Took a bit longer than expected, but we’re here.”

“Thank the gods! I’ll go join the others. Oh wait, Locke?”

“Yes, my love?”

“You’ve been ordered to secondary positions.”

“Aye, Celes.”

“It’s important, Locke.”

“I’m sure it is. We will follow secondary protocol. Okay, what happened?”

“Osborne is up there.”

Locke nodded silently. “Understood. Shadows 44 and 228 will proceed to scout the command center. Shadow 15 out. I love you sweetie. We’ll drop this ship no matter what.”

“I love you too. Go get them!”

Locke smiled and laughed. Then he tapped his other ETCH. “Shadow 15 here. We’re on the _Juggernaut_.”

Curley’s happy voice picked up. “Fantastic, Shadow 15! Glad to hear you made it safe. You have some new orders.”

“Celes told me. Secondary positions.”

“Aye, Celes and Edgar both agree it is the best way to maintain secrecy… the hell? Hang on. Damnit, Kingsley, I don’t give a shit if he did call her first. Yeah, that’s right, both of you had the authority to order the change. Cry me a river. Wife wins out. Oh, very mature! I’ve no problem backhanding you right now if you can’t focus on the upcoming assault. Oh yeah? If you’re so good at this, how come I captured his ass in New Narshe? Yeah? Well, I hope it hurts. Gods, grow up. They have their orders and you blew up over nothing. Locke, you there?”

“Alicia, you have to tap the green button to mute your voice,” Locke replied, chuckling.

After a long pause, Curley finally spoke up with what sounded like embarrassment. “Ah, I see. Ugh, hang on again.” After about thirty seconds of silence, he heard her voice again. “Well, that’s the last time I’m tasked with guarding the ETCH during a head call. Sorry about that. Got the orders?”

“And a good laugh. Tell Kingsley I take my orders from a higher calling, but try and quickly bury the hatchet. He’ll stew on it for a while if you don’t. We’ll report if things change. Shadow 15, out.”

“Mission Control out. Thanks for the tip. Stay safe.” The line went dead.

He then turned to the two Shadows. “Secondary positions ordered. Executor Osborne is up there ready to play with his new toy.”

“What does that have to do with us?” Shadow 44 asked?

“Osborne knows me. Can’t jeopardize the darkness.”

“Makes sense. You know the weaknesses and target sequence, correct?” Shadow 228 asked.

“I do. Simulated on ours a couple of times. If rushed, there’s no difference on suction or discharge first, correct?”

“As long as both are shut, you’ll get the desired result quickly, engine room on fire.”

“Then I am good. Everyone, take a breath.” They all did. Then Locke looked at his fellow Shadow soldiers. “Remember, no hesitation if you must engage. Reports were a crew of fifty-two. Plenty of space to wait them out. Strike thoroughly without regret or fear. Set your DATEs to Morse Code on Channel Bravo. Remember, we expect company in roughly thirty. I’ve got a hunch we will need to disrupt that cannon if we can. Try and make that a priority if you can get to the thing’s controls.”

“We will. Make it rain down there, Shadow 15,” Shadow 44 beamed.

“Oh, I have every intention of raising hell down there. Literally. Let’s go pay Utok a visit.”

The three walked through the hatch, and when they saw the next passage was open, they all opened the other vestibule door and walked inside.

Their mission was now officially on.

 

“It probably took them a little extra time to ensure proper capture of the ladder.”

“It ruins the timetable a bit, though! If they’re not properly bunkered in, then our cannons might take them out on the main decks!”

“Kingsley, I told you once already, the crucial point of the plan was to get them aboard! If that costs us a little time, then so what?”

“General, we don’t have luxuries of time right now!”

“Nigel, Alicia, please find a room,” Edgar chuckled. The adversaries quickly lowered their heads, muttered apologies to Edgar and each other, and returned to their charts.

Terra was now looking very nervous. The clocks said 12:56. Still no reports. Suddenly, her eyes darted to a Phone Talker who had turned to Kingsley. “Sir, it’s the _Crosswind_. They have the armada in sights now.”

Edgar sighed. The point of no return had finally shown itself. “They have authority to fire at will.” He felt Terra wrap her arms around him. He placed one arm around her shoulders and his other hand on her belly, giving it a warm, gentle rub. He then gave her a kiss and another apologetic look. She quickly kissed him back.

“Edgar, I already forgave you. Please, I just need your strong hold right now.”

“Terra, he’s going to be fine.”

“I know, at least, I hope. But I know now how he would be feeling if he were still here.”

“As do I. Hopefully soon we will be able to shed this burden to a younger generation.”

“Any updates?” Celes asked as she entered Mission Control.

“Fleet is preparing to fire upon their ships now,” Kingsley announced. “Mission Control, get ready for anything.”


	57. The Power of the Juggernaut

The three warships that should’ve seen the Figaro navy well before the first shots came raining down on them were the _Desiderata, Ganymede_ , and _Scorpio_. Part of it was the rigors of late night watches, part of it was the bigger focus on midrats, and part of it, simply enough, was a feeling of complacency ushered in by the belief that they had already won. Instead, hours of watching calm horizons had lulled the back portion of the defensive stance the Utok armada had taken to sleep, and now several fires and holes peppered each of the three hulls. The first ship to go down was the _Ganymede_. She lost combat capabilities within three minutes. The other two became target practice in the next two minutes.

Even worse, it took the captain of the _Juggernaut_ a few minutes to recall everyone from midrats to begin defensive maneuvers. That lost time allowed the ten smaller Figaro warships to branch off and begin assaulting the other three Utok vessels. The incredible precision in the Figaro attack patterns left the Utok warships scrambling and at least two steps behind the entire first portion of the fight. They quickly disrupted the formation that Utok was attempting to maintain. Now, the _Juggernaut_ was left to its own devices as the last two Utok warships began to execute strictly defensive counter measures.

Osborne observed the carnage from the main decks. He simply admired the tactics being demonstrated. Instead of following normal side runs in their attack, the Figaro cutters were firing with frightening precision from spots that were near impossible for the Utok warships to set their cannons and lock on a location. He now had firsthand experience in the types of strategies Celes had prepared for her naval captains. He tapped his helmet. “Executors, this is Osborne. The Figaro navy is quite formidable. Celes Cole has my utmost respect.”

He heard Dewitt speak first. “Dewitt here. What the hell is going on? How many explosions are we hearing?”

“Plenty. Our six shields are splintering fast.”

“And the cannon?”

“Online in less than one minute. Wait, never mind. She’s operational now.”

“Executors?” Olson suddenly piped up. “What is going on?”

“Yes, what am I missing here?” Morgan angrily snapped.

“Diabolos’ magic is now online and ready to punish the Figaro navy,” Osborne announced.

“We’ll stay online to listen. Verbalize what is happening,” Dewitt ordered.

“Will do. Captain, do we have coordinates for an enemy yet? Excellent. Range is roughly two hundred yards away… we’ll do 65% to play it safe, and hopefully scare them. Operator, let me know when the Firing Chamber is primed.” He then relayed this information to his High Council.

Soon, the Firing Chamber glowed with a light blue energy pulse. Osborne smiled. Ice would be very effective against the cutters. The operator suddenly double checked his panel. “Executor, Chamber is primed.”

Osborne smiled. He stared at the captain. “She’s your boat. You do the honors.”

“Aye, Executor!” Doering shouted. He turned to the operator. “Fire at will.”

The operator counted down from five and pressed the red button. In front of him, he saw the energy begin to release from the Chamber. It suddenly shot out in a violent streak of light. He suddenly felt very nervous. The bursts hadn’t seemed so volatile before. Still, he observed his panel to watch the trajectory and ensure the accuracy was good enough.

Osborne watched over the starboard guard rails and gasped happily. A Figaro cutter was now split in two, with ice still spreading to the forward and aft points of the hull. Even better, most of the sailors were also frozen, and several more were finding themselves unable to run after the ice had caught up. Eventually, one half shattered while the other sank like a rock.

“Executors. One ship down, nine to go. We are reloading. Should be able to fire again in the next two minutes or so.”

“Fantastic! Keep it up!” shouted Morgan.

“Executor, can you go stronger? We might be able to get two of them with the next shot,” Doering suggested.

“Sounds good. Go to 75%. Target the one now setting up in our wake. Wait til the second ship falls behind it.”

Roughly two and a half minutes later, a beam of red energy had burned two more Figaro warships, and most of her sailors, into ashes on the high seas. Osborne cackled. “Excellent shot! Keep it up! Seven more to go!” Then, he noticed cannon fire aiming for their command center. “Captain, how is our projectile defense?”

“Online. Watch this!”

Osborne chuckled further as steel beams suddenly shot out in a protective web and cocoon around the apparatus and command center. Suddenly, cannonballs were being deflected into different parts of the _Juggernaut_ and back out to sea. Those areas, Osborne reasoned, were not as important as the weapon or the engines well below the weather decks.

Soon after, another 75% blast was wide enough to crush two more Figaro cutters in what felt like an avalanche of stones. Osborne was delighted beyond words. “Keep priming! We will go down to 65% to speed up time between shots.” He suddenly turned to port side. The final Utok defense ship, the _Atlas_ , had finally begun to sink.

Now it was the _Juggernaut_ against the last five Figaro cutters.

 

Locke muttered to himself. The _Juggernaut_ ’s interior had no sense of order or direction. Nearly thirty minutes of scouting had led him to very little except plenty of space to hide. He now knew several routes that could get him to the weather decks and down into the engine room in fairly quick time. He also realized that most of the _Juggernaut_ ’s personnel were either up with the Nether Stones or down tending to the propulsion. That left him with little to worry about.

He typed into his DATE to check for status updates. He received two responses. Weather decks were teeming with personnel and two Utok Honor Guardsmen, and access to anything Nether Stone-related was most likely not possible with just three Shadows. They were still working on a way, though, and quickly since a large swath of people had left for midrats. Locke acknowledged the reports and reviewed his procedures.

Suddenly, his ETCH beeped. He heared Kingsley. “Shadows, brace for possible impact.” He quickly looked out a starboard window and stared in awe. He was witnessing the third barrage of cannon fire quickly disabling Utok’s ships. As happy as he was, he suddenly cursed under his breath. Now, every one would be running up to the Nether Stones. Above decks was probably not going to work for them.

He sighed. “Kingsley, I’m heading downstairs for some mayhem.” He tapped his ETCH and returned it to his waterproof pouch. He then turned around and stared in horror.

He was now staring a Utok security force square in the face, maybe six inches away.

The Utok man tried to piece together what was going on. Locke sighed.

_No regrets. Strike hard._

The security force never even saw the dagger come up. In two quick motions, Locke had slashed his throat, spewing forth blood, and his mouth. He quickly assessed the scene. The poor guy had fallen forward, grasping his throat, unable to control the bleeding. It would only worsen in the position he was now in. Even better, the man had been too shocked at the sight of Locke to call for help. Locke chuckled further. With the cannon fire outside, his death would go unnoticed for a while in this part of the ship. To play it safe, Locke finally pulled the now dead body into a janitorial closet and came out with a mop and bucket. Five minutes later, the scene looked normal enough. He then checked his bearings again and settled on a course. He headed along the starboard walkway, enjoying the cannon fire.  Now, a door to the Engine Room was in front of him.

He then saw the light blue beam suddenly fly overhead. He quickly turned to watch it travel. He then felt his mouth open in terror and horror.

He watched the _Amiable_ suddenly begin to freeze over, ship and sailors included. He gasped as the impact suddenly split the ship in two with quick work. He witnessed the spread of the ice and the shattering of one half, people included. As he observed the second half begin to sink, he quickly pulled out an ETCH. “Shadow 15. Answer now!” He suddenly winced. He had grabbed the ETCH for Celes.

“What? Locke? Is that you?”

“Celes? Oh gods, yes it is. Listen, I’m sure the other captains will pass this on, but holy fuck!”

“Locke? You’re scaring me. What the hell is happening out there?”

“It’s Diabolos! They just froze and sank the _Amiable_! Oh gods,” he muttered as he heard an announcement in the ship. “They’re prepping to fire again, two minutes or so!”

“Locke, calm down! We’ve been getting reports that we have been cleaning them out!”

“The _Juggernaut_ ’s operational now. I’ll chat as I run. I’m heading down to the engine room. Shadows 44 and 228 are doing what they can to try and stop that fucking cannon!” He began to hear his own panic in his voice. “Celes, they’ve got to refocus on that command center. It has to be taken out now, or I think this ship can destroy the entire fleet!”

He heard her sudden change in tone from confusion to uncomfortable acceptance. “Ye gods, I’ll pass that along. What else is going on?”

“Well, there’s a dead security guard. Other than that, not much else. Shadows 44 and 228 are struggling to find a way to eliminate the cannon.”

“Then hang on.” He heard a click and began to worry. After a minute, Celes came back to him. “Locke, Edgar has authorized you to head upstairs and slow the cannon down. We just got a report on the ice beam. Wait, Locke?”

All she heard was a low pitched scream as he now saw a humongous red beam crashing down on not one, but two Figaro ships. “My gods!”

“Locke! Quick, what is going on?”

“Fire beam… two more ships… the people and the ships are burning alive. It looks like from the inside. Holy shit!” he shouted as the ships suddenly burst into nothing more than wood and metal ash. “They both just disintegrated!”

“Locke, please, get up there as fast as you can!”

“Already running that way. I’ll report again if I can!” He then tapped off his ETCH, shoved it in his pocket, and continued running up the stairs.


	58. Desperate Measures

At the top, he didn’t hesitate again as he slashed two more Utok men down. They had been caught in the happy euphoria of victory as well after watching two Figaro cutters explode into a fiery grave. Now they were being picked up and thrown into the water by Locke. He then looked up. Three more decks to go until he could possibly have a chance to save his kingdom.

Finally, he was up there. He recalled the layout as best as he could. He looked around to see hat he could find. Most of the people had exited the ship’s interior and were out at the command center. Locke quickly made out at least twelve people, two Honor Guardsmen, and Executor Osborne. There was no sign of Shadows 44 and 228.

Suddenly, Locke looked up and cursed quietly. He was able to just catch a glimpse of a Figaro cannonball being deflected into the deck maybe twenty feet in front of him. That defense system had not been in the briefings. He quickly grabbed Celes’ ETCH. “Celes, more bad news.”

“Ye gods, Locke. What else is going wrong?”

“They have some sort of defense system for their command center. It’s a bunch of flexible steel beams that are deflecting our cannonballs.”

“What? How in the hell did we not learn about that?”

“I don’t know. Right now, get them to figure out a way to penetrate those defenses. Wait, oh gods, not again.”

“Locke? What now?”

“I think they are firing again. It looks brown this time.”

“Earth magic?”

“That’s what deep cover said. Damnit!” Locke covered his ears. It was much louder now that he was so close. He watched the energy quickly leave and take aim at another two cutters. He cursed again as they began to be battered relentlessly with stone-like projectiles. He knew they wouldn’t float for much longer. “Celes, we just lost two more.”

“Wait, two more? We’re just getting reports on the fire beams. You’re saying we just lost two more to an earth beam?”

“Yes, I am,” Locke replied as he felt tears come up. He closed his eyes for a moment. Suddenly, he twirled around dagger in hand. It stopped mere inches from Shadow 228’s neck. He did not look amused. “Shadow 228, you scared the shit out of me.”

“Likewise. What the hell are you doing up here?”

Locke flashed his ETCH. “Orders to come up here and help. It’s imperative we stop that damn thing. Celes, I’ve met up with the other Shadows.”

“Okay, any ideas to subdue them?”

“Not yet. We’ll think of something as fast as we can.”

“Report when you’ve got an idea. We’ll do the same. Please stay safe. I love you.”

Locke pulled out his ETCH and muttered an apology to Shadow 228.

“No worries. We’re both jumpy too. See the layout?”

“My gods, it’s almost impenetrable.”

“Wrong,” Shadow 44 replied. He was hiding around a corner. “It looks easy to get in. Getting out will be where we fail.”

Locke cursed again, even as the sound of the last Utok sacrifical fodder meeting her watery grave now filled the air. He closed his eyes to meditate. Suddenly, his eyes burst open. “What do they do to make it fire?”

Shadow 44 motioned over to a small window. They were now looking in to the command center. They had a view of the Stones Chamber and a person at a switchboard. He was pressing buttons and holding a switch. “See that panel? Shows the power output. He’s currently lowering the power to reset the system. Then he’ll use the same switch to push the stones together and create more power.”

Lock grumbled. “I have a plan, but you’ll have to alert the king that I’m not coming home from the mission.”

Shadow 228 snorted. “Tell us. Then we can improve it.”

“Fine. I’m going to barrel in there and destroy that panel.”

“How so? A dagger won’t do anything.”

“No, but this will,” he replied as he held up his second DATE. “I’ll set it as I enter and place it down on the console. This sucker will probably melt most of the console’s metal and electronics. They won’t be able to fire again.”

“Not bad, but it’s only temporary. They will eventually fix it.”

“We need time now. This gives it to us.”

Shadow 228 suddenly placed his hand on Locke’s outstretched fist. “Slow it down. Who are the threats in there?”

“Really, the two Honor Guardsmen are the biggest threats. None of the rest look like they are actually trained for combat. Mostly brains, not brawn,” Shadow 44 responded.

Shadow 228 grinned. “Then perhaps we should join him. We can set our ETCHes or DATEs so that they stick to the Guardsmen’s uniforms and then we may be able to escape with enough daggerplay.”

Locke grumbled. “They won’t like it, but I’ll let them know.” He tapped his ETCH again. “Celes, we have a very crazy idea.”

“Locke, we need anything right now. It’s pandemonium over here. No one knows what to do.”

“Celes, we’re assaulting the command center.”

“Locke, that’s suicide! You guys can’t possibly be able to destroy those Stones”

“Celes, we’re going to use our ETCHes and DATEs to melt their controls. They’ll lose the ability to fire.”

“Locke,” Celes pleaded as he heard her voice begin to weep, “please tell me there’s another solution.”

“Celes, I’m sorry. I don’t know of another way to buy us any time. At this rate, we are hours away from losing South Figaro. This gives you all time.”

After a long silence, Celes spoke more confidently. “Hang on.” He heard the line go blank. He saw yet another cannonball get deflected back out to sea. Finally, he heard Celes on the other line. “Edgar has approved you to do whatever it takes. He says he trusts you three to save South Figaro. Just please, Locke, please be as safe as you can.”

Locke felt courage well up. “Don’t worry, Celes, we will. I love you. Whatever happens, I love you and will protect you all in the afterlife if I have to.”

He tapped off his ETCH and placed it in his pocket. He then pulled out the DATE that connected to Celes and turned it on. It still worked as expected. He looked at it with admiration. He then looked up to the other Shadows. “We’ve got authorization. Now let’s form a quick execution plan.”


	59. The Cunning of Celes

Pandemonium didn’t describe half of it.

Mission Control was now overrun with some form of anarchy. Shadows yelled at Shadows. Edgar and Terra almost sat in a stunned daze. When she hadn’t been talking to Locke about the _Juggernaut_ ’s capabilities, Celes was battling with several other people on how to best destroy the ultimate weapon. Strangely, in this moment of massive entropy, Curley and Kingsley were now working in unison on how to best position their warships.

Finally, Celes had had enough. She erupted in a loud scream, “Everyone calm down!” Now, she had Mission Control’s attention. “Continue to focus on reports. Get our captains in as safe a position as we can. Right now, our Shadows are preparing to disable their cannon’s controls.”

Edgar sighed. “Celes, while that may be true, we still can’t damage the _Juggernaut_. We love the enthusiasm, but we are still fighting a losing war.” He sighed again. “Perhaps we should consider a move to preserve our people as best we can.”

Celes began to cry. “Edgar, no. We still have a chance here!”

“Stop! I’m losing a third of my fleet tonight. And soon, a city of three hundred thousand will be no more. The right choice here is to offer surrender to preserve the people. Please, Celes, think of the people!”

Celes closed her eyes in shame and defeat. All of her Imperial training had never prepared her to handle such a military loss before. Finally, she opened them up. A look of defiance now came over her. If there was one military doctrine Gestahl had instilled in her that she could rely on, it was this: there is always a way to win a battle. You may not like the aftermath, but it’s up to you to weigh that against the loss.

“Edgar, I’m not giving up. If the Shadows disable the weapon, we can still stop Utok. It can’t be impenetrable!”

“Celes, exactly what weakness is there? Our weapons can’t sink the ship!” Edgar howled.

Suddenly, Celes fell down in excitement. She had a twinkle in her eye. She slapped her forehead. “My gods, Edgar, youre absolutely right!”

Edgar did not look amused. “Celes, I know you aren’t supporting my decisions. What is it?”

Celes slowly got up and ran over to Kingsley. “Kingsley, where is the _Juggernaut_ file?”

“Over here. Which file?”

“The schematic on the layout of the external part of the ship.”

Kingsley quickly flipped to the page that was now easy to open to due to wear on its pages. Now Celes was studying the schematic, hoping to find something, anything, that could support a new crazy idea. How had she not thought of this sooner? She finally shouted in celebration. “Ye gods, they do have them!”

“Celes,” Edgar muttered, “what did you find?”

“I found doors and decks!”

The room looked confused. “Doors and decks?” repeated Terra.

“Yes, doors. Four of them, in fact, roughly fifteen feet above water level, port and starboard forward and aft, with lots of deck space.”

Curley now seemingly had a similar stroke of inspiration. She quickly ran over and studied the schematic. She looked at Celes. “I’m not sure your ships can pull this off. The difference in height is not going to make this easy, especially given the shape of the cutter’s hull.”

“Ah, but I have three people onboard the _Juggernaut_ that can help them to safety and show them around.”

Curley now slapped her forehead. “Gods, Celes, you really do have ridiculous instincts in military tactics.” She then turned to Edgar. “Your Majesty, we propose a new mode of attack on the _Juggernaut_.” She chuckled, “We intend to hijack her.”

Edgar nearly jumped out of his chair. “Say what now?”

Terra quickly grasped the idea. “My gods, it solves two problems!”

Edgar now looked confused. “Terra, what do you mean?”

“Edgar, you said it yourself, our ships are pretty much done for. Why not use them to move close to the _Juggernaut_ and allow our sailors to run amok? She only has roughly fifty people onboard. If we get just a couple of warships to run alongside her, we could overwhelm them and even get the weapon from them!”

Edgar now understood the plan. “And the Shadows can ensure the sailors get onboard safely! Celes, that’s fucking brilliant! Get the Shadows now! Tell them what we intend to do. Phone talkers, get the captains in line and separated. Tell them we’re going back to the days of piracy!”

Celes smiled as she tapped her ETCH. “Locke?”

“Celes! We’re still ironing out the details.”

“Not anymore. You three have new orders. Each of you get to the second deck, port and starboard, forward and aft. Pick three that are closest. Our ships are coming to you.”

“Celes? I don’t get it.”

“Locke, our weapons can’t touch them, remember?”

After a long pause, she knew he had figured it out. “But people can. Gods, with just two crews onboard, we’ll end this with a new warship and a new weapon! Celes, once again you’ve floored me with your cunning. We’ll break from here. Based on how far away they are, we should be able to get them onboard in twenty. Tell them to go starboard first. They’ll be blocked from magic fire faster, and hopefully that has them trying to aim in the wrong direction as the rear ships approach. They might actually be safe once they get within thirty feet of the _Juggernaut_.”

“Works for me. Our captains are aware and are coming.”

“Okay… shit, Celes, they are getting ready to fire again.”

“Ye gods, can we do anything?”

“I might be able to launch the DATE in there to damage the controls, but our presence will be found.”

“Locke, the closest ship is going to starboard forward.”

“Hmm, that seems to be where they are aiming. When can they get there?”

“Should be alongside any time now.”

“Wait,” he said. She heard him chuckle. “I think they have already figured out our new plan.”

“What? How?”

“Just like I said earlier, they can’t aim at a warship so close to her now. They think we’re trying to ram the _Juggernaut_. I’m sending Shadow 44 down to assist them.”

“Excellent. Locke, keep out of sight as best as you can. Be ready for anything. Gods only know what other surprises they have.”

“Will do. Love you.”

She heard him cut the communication. Then she rubbed her belly. A small but confident smile came to her face. “Your world may not be so bad yet!”

 

Locke quickly relayed the plan to the other Shadows. Shadow 44 immediately took off to help the first cutter. Shadow 228 would help the next one, most likely to be port aft. Locke then planned his route to port forward. As they broke, he and Shadow 228 finished off two more Utok soldiers that had turned the wrong corner with daggers to the throat.

Locke angled himself for a faster descent along the stairs. Then, he slowed himself down quickly. He could hear Osborne going nuts above him. He quickly shifted to be able to listen more clearly.


	60. Utok's Trump Card

“Doering, you’re saying you cannot run all of your weapons for defense now?”

“Executor, that’s what I’m saying. Our policies, decided by the High Council, made this damn cannon the priority and not the manning!”

Osborne grumbled. He had been vetoed in bringing more soldiers and weapons on this voyage by the rest of the High Council. “Just keep the cannon primed. We’re probably going to drop our powers soon.” He opened communication. “Executors,” he angrily said as the cannon fired off a dark green blast at a Figaro cutter that had not yet gotten too close, “looks like we are finished.”

“What?” Dewitt suddenly barked. “What in the gods’ names is going on?”

“Executors, the other ships are attempting to crash into us.”

“You must be going mad. Adamantium protects you from their silliness.”

“Not if they are intending to board us, it doesn’t.”

Suddenly, the line grew silent. Then, Morgan spoke. “What other capabilities do you have?”

“Maybe forty personnel to fight close to two hundred.” More silence. “Executors, as much as it pains me to say this, I might be preparing a white flag.”

“No, the High Council agrees with me,” Dewitt muttered. “Our plan has been Diabolos all along. You are authorized to use 100% power. We will contact Figaro. You are now about twenty miles away. If they agree to surrender, their ships mean nothing. If they don’t, we’ll torch that damn city. I know Edgar won’t risk it.”

“I do agree with that. We’ll begin preparing now.” He then turned to the operator. “New authorization is now in effect. Reset the system and prime to 100% power.”

The operator now turned a purplish white. “Are, are you sure, Executor?”

“Yes. Bring her up again.”

The operator gulped and spoke a loud prayer as he began to operate the switch. He could not stop staring at the stones with trepidation.

 

Locke muttered to himself as well. He tapped his ETCH. “Celes, fresh bad intel for you.”

“Locke? How is helping our people get on board?”

“Doesn’t matter in a sense. Osborne just authorized 100% power.”

“What? How close are they to South Figaro?”

“Based off a rough calculation in my head, probably just a bit under twenty miles now. We’re definitely in range.”

“Shit,” she muttered. “I’ll let Edgar know. Go help our sailors get onboard. Anything else?”

“Yes. I'd expect the Executors to contact Edgar with a demand to surrender.”

“Gods, we can’t catch a break. They’re desperate. Locke, right now stick to the plan for us to overrun them with personnel, okay?” No answer. “Locke? Locke!”

Suddenly, Locke muttered into the ETCH. “Celes, I love you. Sorry.” He then turned as he watched many soldiers pass by him without seeing him. They hadn’t been his focus.

Instead, behind them, a Utok Honor Guardsman now had his spear aimed directly at Locke’s throat.

Locke quickly threw his hands up. “Okay, you got me. I’ll do what you ask.”

“Walk toward the command center. Now.”

The two began their march. Locke remained focused. It was now nearly the time for judgment.

 

Celes placed her head in her hands. She knew that simple code phrase meant the worst. He had most likely been discovered and captured. Even similar historical circumstances couldn’t make this any easier for her. Locke’s last message had almost sent her off the edge.

This time, however, she looked down at her new family. If he were no longer able to remain safe, then she would be their guardian for life. That meant staying calm and reporting to Edgar what Locke had just revealed.

“Edgar, Locke just announced they are powering to 100%. South Figaro is set to be destroyed.”

Terra began to cry. Edgar simply stared at her with an unpleasant expression. “So we have failed.”

“Locke thinks they are going to demand surrender of the kingdom to protect her.”

“Tell him to do whatever it takes to overtake that ship.”

“Edgar, I can’t,” she sadly replied. “I’m sure his last message was to tell me he has been captured.”

Edgar drove his fist into his chair. “My gods, we still had a chance too. Kingsley, try and get in touch with any of the Shadows to see what’s going on. Once they have people onboard, they have to use any means necessary to stop that cannon.”

Suddenly, Edgar looked into space with a strange look. He quietly chuckled and cursed at the same time. “Not bad for capabilities, Executor Dewitt,” he spoke into his ETCH.

“Your Majesty, time is of the essence here. Besides, I expect this will be short. Our cannon is now set to devastate South Figaro. Offer your surrender right now and I turn the beam back to the sea. Refuse, and you know what you lose. Remember, time is of the essence here. Once they get to 100%, they will be forced to release. That gives you roughly three minutes.”

“It won’t take that long. I won’t risk my city. You win, Executor. Figaro surrenders.”

“Your Majesty, I applaud your rational side winning this night. I will alert my men onboard the _Juggernaut_. I suggest you do the same. Any demonstration of aggression will turn South Figaro to rubble.” The ETCH clicked off.

Edgar chuckled. “Should have assumed they could tap our lines. Alert the Shadows. We are done for the night. We could not pull it off in time.”

The room began to weep quietly. All of the energy and effort had failed. Carrying out the new orders was going to be much more difficult and tiresome.

Celes, for her part, still tapped her ETCH, hoping to get Locke’s attention. More than anything, she wanted to hear his voice just one last time. Then, one last idea hit her.


	61. Celes' Insurrection

Osborne quietly muttered to himself. “I must admit, I wouldn’t have expected and yet somehow should have expected I’d see you again like this, as the Shadow for the job.”

Locke grumbled. “Executor. You really need to hire me to reorganize your interior passages. They reek of inefficiency.” He then winced. The Guardsman had nudged his spear into Locke’s back again. He clearly did not appreciate friendly, sarcastic banter.

Locke quickly took in the new vision of the command center. He was now standing roughly ten feet from the Stones Chamber. Above, the Firing Chamber blocked the night sky. To his right lay several machines with personnel monitoring them. To his left lay Osborne and Doering on the bridge. That left the operator, who was still further left of the bridge. The machine had begun to churn. All Locke heard was that power had gotten to 5%. He subtly stretched and turned his ETCH on, setting it quickly to allow Celes’ repeated calls to come through and hear everything from the command center. She would know to remain silent and why he was doing this.

"If I didn't want you dead, I'd be content learning how the hell you even got onto the ship." Suddenly, Osborne touched his helmet. “Say that again? They surrendered? Well done, Executors! No no, this was more your plan. Say what again? Hold on,” he suddenly muttered as he shifted to talk quieter.

Osborne, though, like Dewitt before him, did not know what Locke’s abilities allowed him to do. He simply watched and was able to listen in to the whole conversation. He remained stoic as he learned of the sinister plan the High Council had just authorized. He also looked at the dark blue essence that had started to rise up to the Firing Chamber.

Finally, Osborne walked over with the microphone from the Ship Announcing System. “Locke, your new orders are to announce to your new Figaro brigands to stand down. Any reports that show they fail to listen will cause us to attack South Figaro. That city’s fate is now in your hands. Remember that when you decide what to do.”

Locke simply shook his head. He already knew of the other part of the plan. “South Figaro’s fate is not going to be decided by me.”

“Mr. Cole, I’d like to think you’re a smarter man than this. You could save your city, and that’s much bigger than two random slumdogs from New Narshe.”

“Impressive you found out. Tell Dewitt that since he has already ordered you to use the cannon whatever my response may be, I’m not going to say shit. I’ll take the loss of one city to ensure you lose the weapon over losing both the ship and the world.” He chuckled at Osborne’s now disgruntled look. “Yeah, you’re very easy to read apparently.”

“Very well, so be it. We’ll pacify them the old fashioned way.”

“I’d never guess your math skills would fail you. You’ll be outnumbered soon.”

“Perhaps, but my people skills are a lot stronger. Observe.” Osborne spoke into the microphone instead. “Figaro sailors, this is Executor Osborne. Right now, a large wave of pure magical energy is primed to hit South Figaro in roughly three minutes. Offer your surrender now. Any act of aggression will cause us to release the beam, leveling your precious city. All surrenders will occur within two minutes. Make your choice.” He then stared at Locke. “I doubt they will be as defiant as you. After all, they don’t know me like you do.”

Locke cursed loudly, but then focused a stare at Osborne. “Not all of them will do so. Your plan is flawed.”

“More than enough will do it. Besides, the fear and doubt that they all now have is only our advantage. Ah, there we are. 40% and rising. Dark blue? Good choice, Diabolos.” He chuckled in Locke’s direction. “Seems fitting a coastal city would meet her demise by the sea’s wrath.”

Anger began to rise in Locke, but he held his emotions in check. He then heard subtle Morse code tappings in the ETCH. Celes was communicating with him during his exchange with Osborne based off what she was hearing. He closed his eyes and silently nodded agreement with her new instructions. He then focused on the Shadows now unexpectedly at the door to the command center, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the Utok detachment in the command center. They were signaling the same thing Celes had just indicated to him. At 75%, the final plan would unfold. He ensured they recognized his agreement to the plan.

Osborne wasn’t too dense. He knew Locke was thinking of something to try and sabotage him. “Mr. Cole, please don’t tell me you think you can stop us all with nothing more than a dagger, knife, and weird throwing weapon.”

“I understand. Wouldn’t be me if I hadn’t thought of ways to do just that.” He chuckled. He saw Osborne loosen up slightly. That allowed him to quietly shuffle his DATE pouch a little closer to his right side, where his right hand now lay. He had practiced setting the meltdown function once through a pocket before, only that time he was successful, it wasn’t his pocket, and the recruit angrily had him in a chokehold for several minutes afterward.

Locke knew Osborne’s pride was beginning to swell inside. That gave him the advantage over pretty much everyone except the Guardsman. Locke slowly turned to see where he now stood. Slightly behind and to the left. His neck had a guard in front of it. That meant he would have to implement a different surprise on him.

Osborne then tapped his helmet. “Excellent. The Executors should be able to tell you exactly how many surrenders to get from the sailors. Have the Honor Guardsman oversee it all.” He smiled as he looked again at Locke. “Sounds like my hunch was a bit more accurate. Tough luck. I’ll take any win against you.”

His eyes quickly now focused on the Firing Chamber. They had just hit 60%, but he knew something seemed amiss. The aiming apparatus had begun to vibrate. The dark blue energy seemed very unstable. “Operator, hold for now.”

“Aye, Executor!” he announced as he released the switch. Now, everyone watched in wonder and concern. Even Locke and the Guardsman had taken a quick break from being mortal enemies to share a disconcerting sigh.

Finally, the energy seemed to calm down. Osborne whistled a tune of relief. “Continue power increase.”

Now, the power level began to climb; however, the operator began to fret. It was climbing much faster than he had been accustomed to. “Executor, power rate climbing out of band. We’re risking a loss of control of power!”

“Maintain the course, and stop pushing if you see any more vibrations.”

The opertor gulped. The entire apparatus now seemed eerily motionless, its dark blue glow beginning to feel more menacing than the energy swirling in the Firing Chamber.

Locke now noticed the Guardsman was beginning to let his eyes wander up to the dark blue beauty above him. That gave him time to ready his hand on his dagger hilt. He quickly calculated an angle of attack. It would be the smallest of margins. He watched the power level climb on the panel. 68… 69… 70…

 

Celes sighed. She had openly defied an Emperor’s orders once before. Now, she was doing the same to Edgar. Here, though, they simply had no time to argue. The room had to trust her instincts. Based off Locke’s courageous decision to give her Osborne’s voice through his ETCH, she now knew that South Figaro’s safety lay solely in this dissent.  She would have to act quickly and alone.  South Figaro's salvation rested on her last ditch efforts.

First, she had quickly moved over to Kingsley and borrowed his ETCH to talk to the other two Shadows. There, she quickly mouthed her plan to attack. They knew it was unauthorized but vital. They both vocalized support and asked her to ensure Locke knew the same thing. She had then walked away from Kingsley so that no more disagreement could occur.

She then began furiously tapping her plan to Locke, who knew how to acknowledge in code. He started his statement with the proper tonal inflection of “I understand.” She then took a painful breath.

Edgar noticed it along with her sudden strange behavior. “Celes? What’s going on over there?”

“Nothing, Edgar, just trying to cope with what has just happened.”

“I can understand that, but what are you telling Locke right now? I daresay I don't like the expression you now have on your face.”

“Just to stand tall. And to strike the second they hit 75% power.”

“ _What?_ ” Edgar suddenly roared. Now, everyone was looking at the two. Terra simply blinked. She had never known Celes to be so rebellious and to work in such a rogue way.

“Celes? Please, tell me this isn’t you just snapping. Utok will fire if given a reason. This will seal our city’s fate!”

Celes stayed calm. “Do you trust me?”

“I do, but this is very much out of your character.”

“Locke set his ETCH to pick up all the chatter. Osborne intends on destroying South Figaro regardless of the surrender.”

“Celes, are you nuts? How dare you keep that information away from me and make that call yourself! You are relieved of duties tonight. Turn off your damn ETCH now! Kingsley is calling the shots!” Edgar howled.

Celes crossed her arms in disobedience. “Just trust me.” Instead, she flipped a switch at the panel she was at. Now, the room was hearing the feed of her ETCH.

Suddenly, they heard a voice shout, “71% and climbing!” Then, they heard Osborne’s cackle.

“Excellent. Locke, don’t take the loss so hard. Just minutes from the end of your city and kingdom. I’ll allow you to stay alive long enough to hear the reports of our success. I think that’s fair.”

“You’re a monster, I’ll give you that.”

“No no, Kelbesque was a monster. I won’t let the Guardsman prolong the suffering for very long.”

“75% and climbing, Executor!”

The next voice they heard was Locke. “Good. Neither will I!”

Celes shuddered and cheered wildly as she heard chaos erupt over the speakers. She quickly prayed. _Gods, give Locke and the Shadows what they need here to finish this off._


	62. Hell Breaks Loose

At the power announcement, Shadows 44 and 228 quickly armed their DATEs one button away from meltdown and ran into the room, surprising the first two soldiers with daggers to their throats. Their target was the Firing Chamber. Once they had a line of sight to it, they set the bottoms’ stickiness and pressed the final button. They threw them up at the aiming apparatus and cheered as they stuck to its outer casing, turning at last to battle any Utok personnel who dared stand in their way.

At the exact same time, Locke set his DATE one button away from meltdown and suddenly lifted his dagger’s hilt with a quick strike into the face of the Guardsman. While his neck had been guarded, the small slit cut into his helmet for vision had no such barrier. It had to be one of Locke’s best strikes. It had enough force to knock the Guardsman back, though not off his feet. It was, however, enough to allow Locke to be able to make a dead sprint toward the operator as he pressed the last button on his DATE. He quickly got over and struck the operator back with his dagger, slashing his arm. He then quickly placed his DATE down next to the switch. He then quickly tapped the same sequence in the ETCH that he had used to talk to Kingsley. That ETCH was then quickly thrown at the base of the outer containment. Locke cheered as the lights began to turn red. He then ran to join his fellow Shadows, slashing at another stunned security guard.

In all of this sudden commotion, all hell broke loose in the command center. Scientists and engineers began to run around screaming. They had no clue what was going on but feared for their lives. Human nature took over in violent, trampling, ways. Even better for the Shadows, this had also caused enough disruption to stop Osborne or Doering from being able to be heard very well as they began to try and restore calm.

Osborne quickly grabbed the Guardsman. “They die. Now!” The Guardsman nodded and began hunting for the Shadows in the melee.

Suddenly, all the room heard was the scream of the operator, staring down at his console. “It’s melting! The switch and the buttons are melting with it!”

Osborne quickly cursed as he looked up at the Firing Chamber. Sure enough, there were now two portions of the Chamber that had begun to drip away, falling toward the Stones Chamber. “Unfuckingreal. DATEs! Maintain control of the Chamber however you can!”

“Executor, the base around third containment! It’s weakening!”

The sudden rush of water that now poured from the failing barrier quickly drowned out the multitude of screams in the center. The floor quickly became a slippery mess. The initial pressure of the water did a fantastic job of knocking over most of the Utok personnel still in the room. Even the Guardsman found himself hitting the wet deck. The three Shadows jumped up to tables and consoles, continuing to slash anyone who came near them.

Locke then looked up and gulped. By his estimation, the DATEs’ meltdown would be opening up the Firing Chamber’s energy to the open air any second now. “Shadows, get out now!” he shouted as he jumped toward the door. Shadows 44 and 228 quickly followed. They were now making a dead sprint away from the command center.

Once they had escaped, Locke tapped his last ETCH. “Celes? I think we’ve stopped them for now!”

“Locke? Oh thank gods! I was so scared they’d gotten you!” He heard her crying.

“Control console is permanently damaged. Outer containment is breached. And shortly, the Firing Chamber will not be able to hold its energy.”

“Locke, I can’t believe it! And you’re all safe and sound?”

“We’re out of the command center. Looking back at it now. Your plan worked perfectly! Wait, what?”

He suddenly stopped. The other two Shadows followed suit, though they were confused as to why. His eye had caught something very unsettling.

He looked up through a window at the Firing Chamber. Instead of losing its energy to the air, the dark blue energy now seemed to be refunneling down into the Stones Chamber. He looked at a panel that contained all of the parameters and readings of the apparatus. Alarms were going off every two seconds or so. He began to grow very uncomfortable. The power level had been dropping significantly. Suddenly, though, the power level spiked rapidly.

_What is going on?_

Locke quickly looked at the Stones Chamber and gulped. He was probably the only one who had noticed that the powered beams were now continuing an inward trajectory.

Celes brought him back to the conversation. “Locke, what is going on right now? What do you see?”

“Celes, the beams are still pushing the Stones together. But the energy in the Firing Chamber went back into the Stones Chamber. Now, it’s saying power is spiking very high!”

“Ye gods, that makes no sense! What else is going on?”

“I’m going to find out,” Locke announced. He turned to Shadow 44. “Tell our Figaro captives to fight and control the ship. Shadow 228, watch my back.”

“Beauty over age? I like it! I’ll cover you,” Shadow 228 chuckled.

 

Locke had not been the only one to notice the strange behavior of the powered beams. The operator, after fighting back the pain of the cut in his arm, had begun to notice it as well and had alerted Osborne and Doering to the weird phenomenom. As it stood, the Parameters Panel was supposed to withdraw the beams the second any disruption had occurred that affected the operator’s ability to safely move the beams. The operator quickly ran over to the Panel and tried to take control of the beams, but there was no luck. He quickly surveyed the numerous alarms. Two of them immediately scared him. The first, LOSS OF POWER INDICATION, meant that they no longer had any way to track what the Chambers were doing in terms of collecting power, and this was especially frightening given how much buildup there must be in the Stones Chamber. The second, LOSS OF BEAM CONTROL, should have meant that the beams would be withdrawing; however, now they had no control over the beams pushing the Nether Stones closer to each other than previously allowed. Had they been able to trace the circuitry, they would have found the mistake made during the expedited setup to get the command center up and running.

A technician had accidentally crossed the wires in the alarm circuitry, meaning the beams were now getting the wrong message from the alarm panel. Expedited testing had forced them to skip testing this protection feature as well. After all, how often could they lose power from console to Panel?

“Executor! We’ve lost control! No indications reliable! That Chamber could blow up at any moment!”

Osborne shouted into his helmet. “Executors! We’re up shit creek!”

Dewitt quickly responded. “Executor, what’s going on?” Osborne heard the Executors seething on the other end as he relayed the crazy events of the last several minutes. “Osborne, do whatever you must to maintain control of that cannon! Let us know if anything else weird happens!”

“Aye, Executors. Wait, what the-“

Suddenly Osborne hushed himself, as did everyone in the room. Locke and Shadow 228 did the same from the window near the doorway. Everyone was now staring at the Stones Chamber. The dark blue tint had suddenly disappeared. Now, the exterior was rapidly changing color in a prismatic pattern.

“Executors,” Osborne muttered, “I’ve no clue what the Stones are doing now.”  

“Give us data!”

“Well, the hue is now changing over and over again. And it’s getting stronger.” He then gulped. Based on how little of the powered beams still remained, he ventured one uncomfortable theory. “Executors, I think the Stones have met.”

 

Locke was also relaying the same theory to Celes at roughly the same time.

“It just makes sense. There’s basically no beams visible any more.”

“Gods, please Locke, let us know if anything changes, and please stay safe. We don’t know what those Stones are capable of any more.”

“I will. I love you.” He then turned to Shadow 228 and made a motion for him to fall back. As they did, Locke quickly shielded his eyes. A bright light suddenly flashed from the direction of the Stones Chamber.

“Aaaaaagh!”

“Locke! Speak to me!”

“The light, so bright. Ow, I see it with my eyes closed.”

“Locke! Speak to me, love!”

“Celes, the Stones just shot out some blinding light. Wait, huh? Ow!”

Locke quickly fell backward. A pulse of magical energy had crashed into him and Shadow 228. He had felt this many times before when magic existed. This time, however, it felt much more potent as it slammed into his body. As he fell, though, he instinctually covered Shadow 228.

In another moment, the energy and light were gone. Locke first verified his vision still remained and quickly got to his feet, picking up Shadow 228. He tapped his ETCH. “Celes?”

“Locke, my gods! That was magic we heard, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, I think so. The light is gone. Checking what on earth-“

The next sound was a terrified, piercing howl of pain. Locke had no control over it. Never in his briefings did he actually believe something like this could have occurred. Never in his mind did he think humanity could purposely or accidentally pull this off.

In front of him, where the Stones Chamber used to exist, was a figure. It was small at first, but then two large wings began to sprout from behind it. Then, he noticed two horns emerging from what was most likely a head, two very strong-looking arms, and then two hoof-like appendages reaching down to touch the ground. Finally, a sinister tail began to protrude from the torso.

The thing’s eyes were still closed and the figure was now fully materialized. Locke sat there, sweating profusely. Panic had overcome him. It took Shadow 228’s slap across the face to finally help him regain control.

He quickly realized Celes was now hysterical on the other end. “Locke! Please, Locke! Locke!”

“Celes, I’m here,” he replied without any hint of life in his voice.

“What on earth happened?”

“Celes, Diabolos has been summoned.”


	63. Communication and Breakdown

Osborne stared on in horror. How could he have allowed this to happen? Deep down, he knew that Utok could not give the perfect guarantee on avoiding the possible resurrection of a long dormant esper. Further, up until the testing of the Nether Stones generated magical energy, something inside him suggested that all of Utok’s energy had been spent in a fruitless hunt for the powers of the past. Still, he had no choice but to follow the whims of the rest of the High Council. _Perhaps I should blame Olson for this? He seemed hellbent at the beginning to find these damn Nether Stones_.

So far, though, all he could do was stare at the ghastly creature maybe six feet from him. It had materialized, but its eyes hadn’t opened and it had not even made a movement. In fact, no one had since the magical burst had broken windows and cracked panel screens.

Finally, Osborne decided to answer the persistent calls in his helmet. He reached up to tap his helmet, noticing that his arm was shaking beyond control. “Executors, I am here still. That static was caused by a magical wave.”

“Finally! What the hell, Executor?” shouted Dewitt.

“Exactly,” Osborne responded.

“I don’t get it!”

“ _Hell_ , Executor, is exactly what I mean. Diabolos is here. He hasn’t moved since he formed maybe a minute ago.”

“You cannot be serious!” Olson suddenly shouted. “Status of the cannon?”

“In about six pieces. The Nether Stones are gone as well. I imagine they are inside the esper.”

“Sweet gods, can the ship still move?” Morgan suddenly asked.

“Yes, we’re still moving toward South Figaro.”

“Executor, listen to me. Leave this line open. Let us know if anything changes. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary.”

“Understood.”

 

Dewitt felt nauseous. He then looked at his fellow Executors and nodded. The other two agreed instantaneously. He tapped his helmet to lock back into Figaro’s signal. “Your Majesty, this is Executor Dewitt.”

“Edgar online. Interesting timing.”

“I take it Locke has already told you?”

“He’s been on speaker. So you confirm Diabolos has awoken?”

“Aye. We are currently transmitting all weapon data and other historical information we have on Diabolos to your Mission Control.”

“Dare I ask why?”

“Your Majesty, we may be aggressive but we are not stupid! This trumps petty wars between people! We are possibly looking at a global war against a single deity!”

“That I agree on. I assume we are calling a cease fire?”

“I prefer alliance. Our texts suggest he will begin to assail us as soon as he can.”

“Hmm, that is a big file. Then I will pass on whatever information we have in the kingdom back to you. It might be repetitive, and for that I apologize. We’ll let you know of any updates we have.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. We will do the same.”

Dewitt then turned back to the High Council. His face was nearly white. “Executors, I fear we have brought the destruction of the world to our doorstep.”

“Trust in Executor Osborne and our sailors. And trust in Figaro to assist. Human nature is tough to defeat,” Olson said, trying to reassure Dewitt.

“Perhaps, but that requires perfect harmony between warring people. We’re already at a disadvantage.”

“For now, let us hope for the best, and warn our people about the new danger,” Morgan announced. “Contact the Kazen. They will receive our research next.”

 

Mission Control had quickly shifted gears into pulling any and all information on Diabolos that they could. Edgar, Terra, Celes, and Kingsley were now pouring through as many documents as they could, looking for anything they could use to protect their people or see if any intentions of Diabolos could be found.

Curley, meanwhile, upon Locke’s proclamation, had turned on her Kazen headset. “This is General Curley. Emergency!” She waited for any voice to pick up. She breathed easier upon hearing Lord Alma’s voice.

“General, state emergency.”

“My Lord, the situation is dire. Diabolos was summoned.”

“I see. I will inform Vicelord Kinnick. He shall use his DATE to transmit everything we know to Figaro. See if his Majesty will offer to do the same to us.”

“I’m sure he will. Wait one.” She then looked at Kingsley and Edgar. “Lord Alma is going to get Kinnick to send you our Diabolos case file. She requests any information you may have.”

Kingsley quickly brought over an extra copy of the paperwork. He grumbled as he pulled out a transmitter that Curley hadn’t seen before. She chuckled as he used it to begin transmitting information along the Kazen’s networks. She then smiled at him. “Lord Alma, I think you might already have the information now.”

“What the hell is this? Figaro reports? How did this just get on our network?”

“Lord Alma, just accept it. Figaro has a sinister side still. It’s paying dividends right now.”

“Very well, but inform King Edgar I will demand an explanation on this.”

Curley chuckled. “Not bad, Kingsley. Alma is stewing over her network being hacked, but I know she says thank you.”

“My pleasure, General. Now, it’s time to send our files to Utok, from the sound of it. When will Kinnick begin transmission? Oh wait, nevermind. Kinnick, my boy, you’ve helped out a lot!”

 

The DATE machines were now humming and churning out lots of paperwork. It was surreal to Celes. A few minutes ago, one warring faction was prepared to wipe an opposing city off of the face of the planet. It took equipment malfunction to turn all people into a politically unified front.

She tapped her ETCH. “Locke?”

“Yes?”

“Anything new?”

“Not yet, we’re all still observing Diabolos. Not a person has really moved.”

“Okay. Locke, we’ve had communications with both Utok and the Kazen. They have transmitted any and all data to us regarding Diabolos. We’re going to try and get info to you guys as fast as we can. In the meantime, let us know if anything happens.”

“Will do. I love you.”

Celes fretted. His voice had betrayed him. He was scared for his life. “I love you too. Stay focused and keep your guard up.”

She then looked up. Edgar and Terra had walked over and were now right next to her. “Celes,” Edgar said, full of sorrow. “I am so sorry. Please forgive my outburst earlier. I know you acted solely to save us. I feel so ashamed for doubting you and accusing you of taking my authority.”

Celes hugged Edgar. “Do not worry over me. I knew you’d understand. The main goal now is to figure out how to stop Diabolos. Let’s get working…”

Suddenly, Celes fainted. Terra screamed in shock and horror as she hit the floor. Edgar quickly shouted for medics to tend to her. Losing Celes’ strategic inspirations didn’t even register. Both Edgar and Terra were now focused solely on ensuring she and the two lives she was supporting had not suffered anything dangerous from her overexertion and violent collapse.

As she was placed on the stretcher, still unconcscious, Edgar quickly grabbed her ETCH. It was the last line of direct communication with him. He quickly focused his resolve. Locke would already know something was wrong. He needed to comfort and control his friend fast.

 

Locke was still swimming in confusion and terror. Diabolos hadn’t moved, and no one felt the urge to try and make any headway on what was going on. Shadow 228 had finally dusted himself off and was now keeping his eye trained on the demonic figure in front of him.

After another minute, he finally grew restless. He tapped his ETCH. “Celes? Any new ideas?”

“Locke, this is Edgar.”

“Edgar? Where’s Celes?”

“Locke, listen to me and focus as a Shadow for a moment. Celes just fainted. She is now being transported to our medical staff. We will let you know as soon as we learn more.”

Locke instantly began to tremble. In that moment, he realized just how important it had been for him to hear her voice throughout this ordeal. That was gone now. Even worse, her and their childrens’ medical conditions were now up in the air and at risk. Everything he had been fighting for suddenly seemed to fade.

He then collected himself. Edgar was right. He had to focus as a Shadow now. The Figaro doctors would do everything they could for her. He had to do everything he could for them still.

“Thank you Edgar. I know they will. I’m back again, focused.”

“Good, thank you. Right now, the initial discussions aren’t promising. We might need you and the other Shadows to retreat back to your craft and escape. Same with our sailors.”

“What’s up?”

“Initial reports, based off the legends, are that Diabolos has very few vulnerabilities. His skin is supposedly forged from Hell’s rocks. His strength is strong enough to handle ten men per arm. He strikes with the origin of magic, making it all the more destructive. I’m reading that directly from the texts.”

“Gods, what a mess.”

“They say the only vulnerability is inside. His energy is unstable. You just can’t reach it.”

“Unreal. Anything else?”

“Terra just handed me something new. Hang on. Ah, okay. The legend is that Diabolos is actually the source of the espers. They were all created from his powers that had been granted to him by the Warring Triad. After waking them all, the espers feared his aggression toward humans would hurt them all and they battled him into submission. Wow, the final blow took the loss of several espers to administer. Sweet gods, what are we up against?”

“Hell, Edgar. Just get everyone together to come up with some plan to buy us time. Right now, I’m staying behind to get as much recon on Diabolos as we can.”

“Locke, no! I need you back here! And Celes does, too!”

“Edgar, this is the garbage we get to face because of what we have done. You all need more than conjecture if humanity is going to survive! Based off what you’ve just said, Diabolos is probably going to begin killing as soon as he can!”

“We destroyed Kefka and the Warring Triad, as a team. We need you back here for the team.”

“Okay, you are right. But we still need recon up here… fuck.”

“Locke, what is it?”

“Am I on speaker still?”

“No.”

“Turn it on, now. Diabolos opened his eyes, and he is now beginning to talk to Osborne. We all need to hear this.”

Then, Locke motioned for Shadow 228. “Get back to the hovercraft with Shadow 44. They need us all to regroup. I’m staying back to get this recon.”

“The hell you are,” Shadow 44 interjected quietly from behind. “I got the sailors back to their ships. Utok even assisted. They are all scared shitless. Hmm, I see why now.” He stared at Locke. “This isn’t just your fight. We can do the recon. Get back to Celes.”

“Guys, stop this now. You have your orders.”

“We ain’t leaving your side, numb nuts,” Shadow 228 declared. “We can help provide more evasive maneuvers if this goes south.”

He knew they had made up their minds. The three listened in. Locke brought the volume up full blast for Mission Control.


	64. He Has Returned

Diabolos finally had the strength to open his eyes. When he looked around, he was initially very confused. Where on earth was he? There was no sign of proper ground, only some strange vessel that seemed to house many very terrified humans. He began to blink a couple of times as he attempted to focus his vision. Soon, the last of his previous memories came to him. All he could recall was the war.

Humans had begun to try and cultivate his esper offspring for their own selfish gains. He had begun to try and defend his own kind. As he was having more success, he had felt his energies become more and more twisted as he began to enjoy the pain he was inflicting upon others. Soon enough, though, his espers had retreated into a cave deep into the ground, where they could create their own safe realm. Diabolos had protected them as the last of his espers had escaped from the humans’ intentions. Once they were all safe, Diabolos had dropped his spear into the ground and chanted a spell that would set him free from his inner torment. He had protected his brethren, and now he needed to escape the land that would eventually try and hunt him down. He had to make it as impossible as he could. In an instant, as armies bore down on him, he felt himself fall asleep as he began to turn into five Stones. Somehow, he had been able to witness them fly all around the world, finally coming to rest in five locations, almost hiding in plain sight from the selfishness of humanity. He then felt his subconscious disappear as he smiled at his success.

Here, however, familiar feelings began to surface. He was nowhere near where he had originally disappeared. Now, he seemed out in nothingness on the open water. And all he saw around him were the same humans he had tried to defeat so long ago. A fear came over him. Just what had happened, and how long had it been?

He surveyed several humans. He couldn’t be more than six to eight inches taller than most of them, yet they seemed to stare at him like he was some sort of horrific giant or titan. He began to feel dread himself. Had the old feelings of distrust lasted so long? Were espers and humans still so hateful and resentful of each other? Was he now going to be forced to fight again, something he had grown to quietly despise despite being so good at it?

Diabolos suddenly blinked again. _Espers… something feels very wrong and different in this world now._

He then turned toward Osborne, who still held a look of shock. He studied him for a moment. This human felt like he was an authoritarian figure. Perhaps he could fill in the gaps for him? “Human.”

Osborne gulped. “Yes?”

“What has happened? What is going on?” he howled.

“Um, a lot has happened, I’m sure, since you’ve been here.”

“Human! Answer my question!”

“Diabolos, please! I will answer anything you wish! It’ll just take some time!”

Diabolos huffed. “Very well, then I will grant you an audience. Explain yourself, human, as to how I have suddenly come here in this strange place.”

Osborne muttered to himself, verifying first that his helmet was transmitting to the High Council. “Diabolos, I am Executor Osborne. I am one of the leaders of the Kingdom of Utok. We found all of the Nether Stones that housed your power. The Stones were united tonight, here on our ship, the _Juggernaut_. We are currently out on the waters between two coasts.”

Diabolos frowned. “The air tastes bitter. What has happened to it?”

“Ah, that. Over two years ago, our world was transformed into a new state. The air is not poisonous, but a lot of dirt and debris still hasn’t settled because of it.”

“Transformed? How?”

Osborne gulped again. “A man used an Empire’s power to awake a force known as the Warring Triad. He used their power to destroy what our world once was.”

Suddenly, Diabolos howled. The sound was terrible. “The Warring Triad? Humans were able to take the Warring Triad?”

“Yes,” Osborne said while suddenly beginning to feel very scared. “But that human was defeated over a year ago! He no longer has the power.”

“Then who does?”

“Um, no one. The Warring Triad were defeated along with him.” Diabolos suddenly stood more upright. Osborne could see that he was now processing something in his mind. “Diabolos? Anything else?”

Diabolos snorted. “That explains the strange feeling I have. Magic. It has disappeared from this realm.” He looked up at Osborne. “And the espers?”

“Uh, best I can tell, you’re the only one.”

Diabolos grumbled. “I see. Human, how did one of your own claim the Warring Triad?”

“The leader of an empire that no longer exists tricked your espers into opening the door to their land. He then entered.”

Now, Osborne suddenly stopped talking. A spear had appeared in Diabolos’ right hand. “Diabolos? Please, there is no reason for violence. We mean you absolutely no harm. The spear is not necessary.”

“Tell me then, human, what is it you mean to do?”

“Diabolos, we only meant to try and unify the world! I’m sure you can understand our desire for peace!”

“Human, I certainly understand the desire for peace,” Diabolos snickered as he stepped toward Osborne. “It is something we must all strive for.”

Osborne began to breathe a little easier. “I’m glad we are in agreement! I ensure you, Diabolos, that we can achieve just that.” He held out his hand. “Let us work together to build a prosperous world!”

Diabolos looked at the hand. “Human, is a handshake a gesture of faith and civility?”

“It is. It is showing we both wish to save this world.”

Diabolos stared at it for what seemed like an eternity. He then extended his left hand and met Osborne’s. “Human, for once, I think we are in agreement. Let us save this dark new world.”

Several people began to clap. Osborne’s smile grew.

Then, Osborne’s scream pierced the night sky. Diabolos’ spear had found its way through his chest. He then ripped it back through his torso, inspecting it quickly for nicks. He then turned to the rest of the Utok masses, who were now screaming and running around like crazy. Diabolos’ left hand began to glow multiple colors.

Diabolos then smiled as he held his prismatic hand up. Small beams began to escape and chase around the screaming humans. As they connected, he smiled as human flesh began to burn, freeze, energize, and liquefy. He cackled as the body count began to rise.

Suddenly, he grunted, winced, and howled in pain. The Utok Honor Guardsman had stabbed him in the side with his spear. He turned to look at his new adversary, who was having trouble removing the spear despite only being lodged in roughly an inch into his carapace. He snarled as he used his hand to grab the Guarsdman by the throat and lifted him into the air. Now the guardsman was flailing his legs, trying with all of his strength to pull Diabolos’ arm away from his throat. Soon, Diabolos brought his foe’s face to his own and snickered.

“The pain will last but an instant.”

With his other arm, Diabolos grabbed hold of the Guardsman’s chest. A dark color resonated from the point of contact. Moments later, he pulled back with all of his might. In an instant, the Guarsdman’s entire uniform and skin layer had been pulled clean from his body. All that now lay suspended in midair was a collection of muscles holding a skeletal structure together. Diabolos chuckled as he heard what he believed was his victim’s last scream as he threw his carcass to the floor. He then removed the spear with ease.

Then, his eyes focused on what looked like a doorway. All he saw were what looked like three human shadows disappearing from view. He huffed.

The sound he had heard was Locke making a hasty retreat.


	65. Escape

Locke had allowed everyone the ability to listen to the conversation between Diabolos and Osborne. Locke, being Locke, had figured out early on in the conversation that very little chance existed for Diabolos to even consider allying with anyone who was human. As Diabolos had pressed further on demanding an explanation into how humanity had taken the Warring Triad, Locke had quickly realized that he no longer trusted humans to do anything right. He began to feel scared. Humanity was now going to be at war with something that could easily destroy them all.

As soon as Osborne was stabbed, Locke announced it.

“Edgar, he just killed Osborne.”

“Gods, that’s enough, get out of there!”

“Right, we’re moving… holy shit.”

Locke had become mesmerized by the ruthless efficiency Diabolos had used to massacre the room of people. Then, his eyes opened further as he witnessed how ineffective the Guardsman had been and more importantly how tough his skin was.

The moment Diabolos had laid the final blow on him, however, he could only scream.

The other two Shadows, though, quickly smacked him and dragged him back in to the ship so that they could make an escape.

As they ran down the stairs, Locke felt foolish. If he had run when Edgar had ordered him to, they would probably almost be at the door to where their gear lay. Instead, he had forced himself to watch unspeakable carnage and witness Diabolos’ evil intentions.

Now, escape was paramount.

They exited a stairwell and began to run across an open room to the other side, where their next door was. Locke made it first and held the door for the other two Shadows. As he entered the stairwell, he closed the door. Before he could let go of the door, though, he suddenly shot backward grabbing his hand. “Ow!” he shouted.

Shadow 44 turned around and grabbed him quickly and pointed at the door as he dragged Locke down the stairs. The door had quickly frozen over.

Diabolos knew they existed. And he was clearly trying to hunt them down.

“No thinking about it! Just run the route we know to get back!” Shadow 44 ordered.

Locke nodded as he continued to run. He took a look at his palm. It was extremely cold, but he knew he had let go in time to avoid being frozen to it. “Thanks for keeping me in the game!”

He then heard Edgar. “Locke! What’s the status?”

“Diabolos knows we’re running. We’re almost at the hovercraft. Hopefully he gets lost in their ship.”

“Locke, what the hell happened a couple of minutes ago?”

“Diabolos, he destroyed the entire Utok group. He flayed a Guardsman. Then we ran!”

“Oh gods. I’ll cut talking. Just escape! Quick message when you’re about to submerge.”

“Got it.”

Locke felt the deckplates again and ran through the door Shadow 228 was holding. The three then shifted through two passageways before they found the last stairwell that they needed. As they made their way down the last set of stairs, Locke found himself thinking about everything he had just seen. He shuddered.

He could not think of a single way to harm Diabolos.

 

Diabolos howled in anger that he had just missed killing the human.

Then, he howled again. He had no clue where he needed to go to pursue his next victims. Diabolos looked around a little more and found a door. He snarled as he discovered what human sailors called a head. He then moved on to the next door, which only led to the ship’s sleeping quarters. After several more doors, he howled in anger loud enough to scare an Utok sailor who had been hiding in a lifeboat. Diabolos heard that movement and quickly pulled him out of his hiding place, clutching his neck. “Human! Tell me how to move downward on this thing!”

The sailor was too scared to say anything, though without air he was most likely unable to speak words anyways.

Diabolos grumbled and launched the sailor through a wall. After looking through the new hole and only seeing a bleeding body that was whimpering, he sighed as he raised his left hand. A brown glow quickly turned into small rock projectiles that then peppered the body into quick death. He stared at the body, looking somewhat sad. “Such suffering you all go through. It is unpleasant to see.”

Soon, he grew impatient. He made his spear disappear. He then raised both hands above his head. He focused his stare between them. After about a minute, photons of light began to form.

 

Locke and the Shadows were now outside, getting suited up as fast as they could. Locke quickly tapped his ETCH. “Edgar, getting dressed. Unsure when we will talk to you again.”

“Understood. Just get down and stay safe!”

Locke then put away his ETCH and other DATE. He quickly pulled out Celes’ sapphire necklace and gave it a kiss and prayer. He then returned his gear to his waterproof pouch. The rest of the wetsuit was on in another minute. After he placed his scuba helmet on, he quickly descended the ladder down to the hovercraft. As he climbed, he could see the faint glow of at least two Figaro warships leaving the area.

Once at the craft, he shifted over to the furthest side and attached his safety line. Then, Shadow 228 took his position in the driver’s seat. Shortly afterward, Shadow 44 was right there. All three motioned thumbs up and Shadow 44 released the claw from the ladder. The craft began to sink slowly away from the _Juggernaut_. Then Shadow 228 turned the handles and began to do a controlled submergence, powering safely away from the bottom hull. The trio continued on.

As soon as the front and back lamps turned on again, Locke felt slightly more at ease. He turned around repeatedly, out of fear, to ensure they were truly escaping danger. Finally, after a few minutes of sea travel, the three Shadows all felt a collective sigh of relief. Now the goal was to regroup and rejoin Figaro.

In an instant, that plan changed once again to survival.

From behind, the water began to swirl and energize. All three Shadows turned around and collectively groaned. Back where the _Juggernaut_ was now housed an azure light. Shadow 44 was the first to piece together what was happening. He noticed the first piece of the _Juggernaut_ ’s hull speeding past them. Then the other two Shadows noticed more pieces and shuddered as they braced for impact from a much larger section.

Diabolos had destroyed the ship with force from the sea itself.

The three Shadows held on for dear life as the hovercraft continuously rocked and shook in the now turbulent ocean. Shadow 228 did everything he could to try and adjust depth to avoid the pieces. They were simply too close to the ship when Diabolos had unleashed his energy.

The Shadows then heard what sounded like an explosion. All three turned around just in time to see the water rushing toward them with frightening velocity. The last thing Locke could make out was what looked like the silhouette of a devilish being sinking to the bottom of the sea.

The force spun the hovercraft in violent directions. All three Shadows tried to hang on for life; however, Locke quickly lost his grip and was now being dragged by the vicious chop of the water. He then struck another piece of the hull and quickly lost the ability to focus on where he was being pushed by the currents. He was able to focus just enough, however, to see one more jagged piece of the hull slice his safety line.

In a few more instants, he was now all alone in the water, helpless, being directed by the unseen aquatic forces of the ocean. Locke closed his eyes, knowing he could do nothing more than go along for the ride and pray.


	66. Pessimism and Optimism

Terra shuddered as she looked down at Celes. She had neither moved nor awoken since she had unexpectedly collapsed in Mission Control. Now, she was hopefully resting in a hospital bed of her own in Figaro’s infirmary. Terra fought back the tears to keep a watchful eye over her close friend. She stared at the machines now attached to Celes, hoping that the lack of annoying beeps meant that nothing truly horrible had happened. She leaned down and gave her friend a quick kiss on the cheek and then leaned back up, unable to fight the tears this time.

“Your Highness, please, it’s going to be okay.”

Terra suddenly looked up. The warm, trusting smile of Hockhousen greeted her. “Doctor, I don’t know why, but I just can’t see it right now.”

“Of course not. Grief has a tendency to remove optimism from the equation.”

“Please tell me she and the children are going to be fine.”

“Well, I don’t give guarantees,’ Hockhousen replied. “I do think the odds are good here, though.”

“What happened?”

“Based off of her blood work, she literally ran herself ragged and her body shut itself down. She is now in a deep sleep.”

Terra shuddered. “Like a coma?”

“Not exactly. We could wake her if we wanted to, but right now based off her lab results she simply needs to sleep and let her body take a break. That machine is providing her and her little ones the liquids they need right now. Dehydration is definitely present.”

Terra shivered. “Did she or the kids get hurt?”

“Based off our tests, I don't think so, though we won’t know until she wakes in a few hours on her own accord.”

“A few hours?”

“Absolutely. I wasn’t exaggerating. She literally pushed her body to its outer limits. I think her body forced the shutdown as a defensive maternal instinct. Terra, you’ll understand soon enough that later stages of pregnancy require a lot of personal attention. Celes knew this too, but in this instance she allowed whatever is going on in Mission Control to overwhelm her.”

“I see. Well, thank you Doctor. If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay here to watch over her.”

“Your Highness, I doubt that if I didn’t like the idea that you’d care anyways!” Hockhousen chuckled. “Stay here as long as you’d like.”

Terra thanked Hockhousen, and then tapped her ETCH. “Edgar?”

“Yes, my love?”

“Doctor thinks Celes just collapsed from exhaustion. Doesn’t think any harm came to her or the children.”

“Good news to hear. I expect youre staying up there?”

“Yes. Any updates?”

“The Shadows got back into the water maybe five minutes ago. Won’t hear anything for a couple of hours, I take it.”

“Anything further from Diabolos?” She heard him sigh. “Edgar, don’t lie to me right now.”

“Terra, it’s bad. He killed off all of the Utok men and women in the commnd center. Our Shadows and ships all evacuated, though. Dewitt just ordered a cease fire on humans.”

“I see. Just please get them home safe and keep focusing with the other kingdoms on how to stop him. I’m here until Celes is awake. Probably another few hours.”

“Okay. If you need sleep, ask Doctor Hockhousen for a second bed.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea. Thank you, my love!”

“I love you, Terra.”

She tapped her ETCH off and then continued to gaze upon Celes. Her expression didn’t seem to show pain, but she didn’t seem to be too comfortable. As frightening as it was for Terra to see this, she willed herself to remain alert while standing guard.

 

Inside Mission Control, the mood had not changed much. Just because the cannon had stopped being a threat did not change the reality that many more cities other than South Figaro were now at risk. Success now lay in taking Locke’s firsthand accounts, mixing them with Utok reports, and combining them with large swaths of research that now lay strewn about the floors and tables. Kingsley and Curley had quickly buried the hatchet and were now working together in harmony as they broke down what each of their weapons could do to him. Sabin was now in the room and looking over the historical texts to see if he could learn more about what had been done to stop him the first time. Edgar was constantly in communication with Lord Alma and what remained of the High Council on any leads to explore and other theories for joint task forces that could combine the strengths of the three kingdoms and improve their chances.

So far, though, nothing had hit them as a breakthrough.

Sabin caught Edgar nodding off in his chair between discussions. “Brother, let me take this over for you.”

“Sabin? Huh, what?”

“Yeah, you see? You fell asleep.”

“No no, I’m okay.” Edgar yawned. Then he stared at his brother. “Fine, grab that other headset and tap into my channel like this.”

Sabin followed the orders. He now heard several other voices. He looked at his brother, confused.

“Lord Alma, High Council, my brother, Prince Sabin, has joined the discussions.”

“Are we really struggling that bad for ideas?” Lord Alma inquired.

“Probably, but Edgar is also passing out in his chair. I can at least communicate what we’re finding here and letting them know what you are finding so that he can finally sleep sometime in the last two or three days.”

“Understandable. Prince Sabin, what insights do you have on your military’s weapons and tactics?” Dewitt asked.

“Some. I did train a lot of them for close combat. As for weapons, well, I’m afraid that’s Celes’ forte.”

“Formality doesn’t resonate well with you, does it?” Alma grumbled.

“Not really, Lord Alma. But we’ll make it work.”

“Indeed,” Morgan added. “Can Celes join the channel as well?”

“Not exactly.”

“Prince, dare we ask why?”

“Sure. She collapsed a while ago. She’s with the doctors now.”

“Gods, no!  Please tell us she's okay?”

“From the sound of it, yes. Just exhaustion from not sleeping much. Doc says she has to get rest now for herself and her babies. She’s going to be out of the room for roughly five to six hours by their guesses.”

“Wonderful. Just when we need her, too.”

“Lord Alma, show some more understanding. She has to be maybe a few weeks away from childbirth!” Dewitt shouted.

“Into a dead world? Let’s make our priorities what they are, Executor.”

“Guys, stop!” Sabin shouted. “We have most of the world’s leaders working on this. We can figure something out! Please, just let her rest! She’s done a plethora more than the rest of us combined up to this point! It’s time for us to take the lion’s share! So shut up and focus on plans, not gripes!”

The line stayed silent for what seemed like forever. Finally, a new voice chimed in.

“Vicelord Kinnick online now. Good show, Prince Sabin! Our Investigation Division has been pouring through their copies of the documents. They think a series of concussive blasts from our strongest artilleries may be able to break through the carcass if a single spear can still enter roughly an inch.”

“If anything, it’s a start. We need more of a plan than that, though,” grumbled Alma.

“Such a beacon of hope as always, My Lord.”

“Not now, Vicelord.”

“Vicelord,” Olson suddenly spoke, “what weapons do you have that could pull this off?”

“We have artillery shells. We also have demolition experts trying to up their payloads.”

“Fantastic. Tell them to look into mixtures involving phosphorus. We’ve made some good breakthroughs with it.”

“I’ll pass that along. Does Utok have a lot of explosives research?”

“We do. I’ll get that branch to pass along information to you and Figaro. I’ll also add data on what we used in our mining operations. If we assume his skin has characteristics of tough stone, we can tailor our attack to work on that.”

“Now we’re talking! Who needs formality?” Sabin shouted triumphantly. He chuckled as he looked at Edgar, who was now sleeping peacefully in his chair. He looked at a clock. It had been roughly thirty minutes since last contact with Locke and the Shadows. He smiled.

Suddenly, Kingsley tapped his ETCH. “Say that again, Shadow 228?”

Sabin jumped up. They should not be making contact at all yet. He ran over to listen in.  Kingsley then turned pale. Curley quickly looked up, worried. “What happened?”

Kingsley, however, was listening intently to the other end. “So you’re both okay? Thank gods. And thank the Tzen Harbor police too for taking care of you. I’ll relay the information to His Majesty at once.” He tapped his ETCH, shaking.

“Kingsley, what’s up?” Sabin asked.

“That was Shadow 44 and 228. Diabolos sank the _Juggernaut_.”

“Wait, the hell? How do they know that?” Curley responded.

“The force of the explosion in the water crippled the hovercraft and as a result the craft was dragged off course toward Tzen. They washed up in the harbor maybe eight minutes ago and are now being tended to by Utok medics and police. Apparently, they have all been briefed not to harm anyone right now.”

“So they are safe? Good! Wait a second,” Sabin suddenly caught himself. “You said only Shadows 44 and 228?”

“Indeed.” Kingsley let out a sigh. “The explosion sent fragments of the _Juggernaut_ at the hovercraft. Locke was separated and his safety line was cut from the force of the water. They don’t know where he ended up.”

Sabin dropped his head, almost defeated. Still, his endless optimism wasn’t going to be defeated. “Well, then we wait until he washes up and contacts us. Did the Shadows say anything else?”

“Yes, they think Diabolos sank himself to the ocean floor.”

“Interesting. Well, keep in touch with them and I will inform the two other kingdoms! Thanks for that, Kingsley!” Sabin quickly returned to the chair next to his brother. “Okay, everyone. New information! Diabolos sank the _Juggernaut_ and then allegedly went to the bottom of the sea, two of our Shadows washed up in Tzen, and Locke is currently unaccounted for. I’m going to see if we have any updates from our warships. Everyone get that?”

He heard Alma grumble and chuckled to himself. “Thank you for the updates. Make sure those two Shadows are taken care of and ensure we get good reports.”

“Actually, we can probably vouch for that now. Executor Morgan here. We’re now getting reports of a strong sea wave that has just hit our coastline. I expect it was from the violent sinking. Prince Sabin, check into your connections to see if your coasts got it too.”

“Will do.” He turned to Kingsley. “Get the network to see if our coastline just got pummeled by a big wave.”

“Okay, your Highness,” Kingsley announced as he tapped his ETCH. Curley began to chuckle.

“General, what’s so funny?” Sabin asked.

“Just that so far we’ve been very formal in here, and now that you’ve taken charge I see it disappearing. Yet, we’re all in a slightly better mood and actually making good progress again. It makes me warm to see we’re all trying to work together as best as we can to unite against him.”

“Heck yeah! Wait, yes this is the King. No, Edgar needs his beauty sleep. This is Sabin. Wait, are all four ships still upright? Good. Anyone see a guy in a scuba helmet being thrown through the water? Well, check with the other captains and let me know. Sail to South Figaro together and be ready for anything. We think Diabolos is in the water right now. About an hour and a half out? Works for me. Get that report!” Sabin looked at Curley. “Wave passed the ships a while ago. All our sailors are good. I expect that means the wave hit South Figaro already and probably Nikeah soon. The coastal communities are probably confused, though.”

Curley simply chuckled again. “Simple and direct. I like it, Sabin!”

“Hey now, that’s Prince Sabin to you!” he chuckled as she burst out laughing. “Nah, just kidding. This works better. Just gotta wait for Locke to check in now.”

“You’re so confident. What makes you so certain he survived the sea?”

“Well, the other two Shadows did. With his luck, he survived easily. With his luck, though, he’s probably on some deserted beach somewhere far, far away."


	67. From the Depths

Roughly a few miles south of South Figaro, Locke finally began to stir as another wave splashed over him. He grumbled and then spit up some seawater as he removed his helmet. He slowly looked around and tried to collect his thoughts, but right now his equilibrium was still slightly off from his unpleasant ride through the ocean. He had briefly lost consciousness after he slammed into the beach sand a while ago. How long ago, though, he was not sure.

He slowly shifted himself up so that he was now sitting on a part of a beach that was still being hit by waves. He slowly reached into his wetsuit and pulled two potions out. He quickly drank the contents to try and dull the headache that was right behind his left temple. _Must be where I struck the beach_. After a few more minutes, he tried to stand up. After two more attempts, he finally found his footing and also found his balance coming back to him quickly. He walked toward the coast to get out of the ocean he now detested.

Once he made it to some rocks, he unzipped his wetsuit and inspected his gear. DATE still worked. Both dagger and Valiant Knife were on his belt, and his Wing Edge still was there. His Gigas Glove still held strong. He then looked at his Reflect Ring and chuckled. There was still hint of a blue glow from it. It must have aided in protecting him from the magical water energy that instead took its aggression out on his safety line and the hovercraft. He placed his ETCH back in his ear and surveyed the scene.

To one side, all he could see was dark water with the faint glow of sunrise behind it. At its edges, sandy coastline seemed to stretch for miles. Behind him, though, large jagged rocks went up maybe fifty to sixty feet. Very little foliage existed. Locke scratched his head. He had never seen a landscape like this before.

He suddenly blinked twice. The sunrise was over the water. He must’ve been thrown somewhere along the Figaro coastline.

He sat back down and pulled out some rations bars and quickly downed them. After that, he grumbled. He was thirsty, but all he had was salt water to drink. He quickly did find a small waterfall coming from the rocky ledge and swallowed several mouthfuls. After a little while, he sat on a rock and felt a lot more complete.

He now felt well enough to contact Figaro. “Edgar? It’s Locke. Come in.”

“Locke! About time! Where are you?”

“Sabin? What’s going on? Where is Edgar?”

“Sleeping next to me. Celes is sleeping in the doc’s office too. Just exhaustion. She and your kids are going to be okay. Terra fell asleep next to her. Actually, Kingsley and Curley are napping as well. Second shift is on!”

“I see. Good to hear. Well, I‘m not sure where I am. I got separated-“

“From the others, I know. They washed up in Tzen maybe three or four hours ago.”

“What? Okay, good. Based on where the sunrise is coming, I think I’m on Figaro coast somewhere. Big cliffs next to the ocean.”

“Hmm, I’ve trained on cliffs overlooking the ocean. Some of them are maybe ten miles south of South Figaro! I don’t know of others. I’ll get people on it. Hey! Use atlases and find cliffsides near the ocean on our borders! Locke is probably at one of the beaches. Yeah, I don’t care. You can dedicate time to that now. I’ll let the other kingdoms know too. Perhaps they can find more locations too. All right, that’s more like it! Hey Locke, we’ve got people trying to find you. Can you get to higher ground?”

Locke looked up and grumbled. “Not here, no. I’ll head north along the coast until I think I can find a way up.”

“Sounds good. Glad to hear your voice, buddy!”

“Yours too. I’ll let you know if anything changes. Let me know if you find anything out.”

Locke grumbled and then started to walk up the coast. After maybe four hundred yards, he suddenly cheered loudly. Right in front of him, a crudely constructed stone staircase looked like it went all of the way up to the top of the cliffs. And that, Locke believed, would only be the case if a town needed a path down to the beach.

“Sabin? Locke again. Found a staircase up to the top, I think.”

“Awesome! I think I know that one. Goes up like thirty steps and veers left?”

“Actually, yeah, it does look like that.”

“Yeah, you’re south of South Figaro! That was built for environmental researchers to study marine life.  Lucky break!"

“Damnit. Well, I’ll take it.”

“Good show. Let me know when you’re up there. I’ll send forces to meet you around there. Sound good?” No answer. “Hey, does that sound good? Locke, damnit, answer me!”

“Sabin, I gotta go.”

“Locke, I can hear your voice change. What the hell’s going on?”

Locke couldn’t answer. He could only stare in fear at the ocean’s edge. Water was now boiling in a focused location right by the beach. He then stared in horror as a menacing figure walked out from the sea. It had hideous wings, hooves for feet, and sinister horns. A spear was in one hand, and a magical aura resonated from the other. As soon as it hit the beach, it stared around at the earth and breathed in a big sigh of relief, most likely from escaping the water.

It then turned and made eye contact with Locke and began to chuckle. “Hello there, human. I thought you looked familiar.”

Locke stood there terrified. “Sabin, it’s Diabolos. He just came up onto the beach. He saw me.”

“Shit, get out of there!”

“Won’t work. Sorry, Sabin. Just keep everyone safe for me.”

Locke closed his eyes and breathed in, trembling. His day of reckoning had finally come.

 

Sabin was now authoritative in his announcements. “Gang, just found Locke. He’s about ten miles south of South Figaro. But worse, Diabolos just came up onto the shore by him.”

“My gods, he’s a dead man,” muttered Olson.

“I’m sending scouts to see if he’s okay, but I doubt they’ll get there for another hour or so. Anyone else have intel to get there?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Kazen troops vacated those lands long ago,” Alma groaned.

“Very doubtful, but I can check our intelligence network,” Morgan offered. “Be right back.”

Sabin quickly shouted into the room, “Hey, anyone with anything on contacts by the rocky cliffs of South Figaro? Focus on that now! Locke is there and so is Diabolos!”

“Sabin?”

“Wait, Edgar?” Sabin asked as he looked to his side. Edgar was now awake and shaking.

“Did you say that right?”

“Yes, Locke and Diabolos are on the beach by the rocky cliffs.”

“Oh gods…” he quickly grabbed the ETCH from Sabin and tapped into it. “Locke, it’s Edgar. Say something! Locke!” He then heard tapping from Locke. He listened to the Morse code message and shuddered.

Locke and Diabolos were having a discussion.

 

“Hmm, so the closest squad is actually thirty minutes away?”

“Yes, Executor. Their leader is ready to march now on the location.”

“And it is the location in South Figaro, General?”

“Yes, our spies confirmed it. Apparently they want to respond now.”

Morgan sat back and pondered. Their network had confirmed his position, but now the decision to risk their lives weighed in his mind. He looked at a dossier. It was a squad of forty-seven. Still, he smiled. The Intel Squad Leader had already demanded to help a Figaro Shadow.

“Very well. Send them now. Tell them to be ready for anything if they cross Diabolos. Only defensive maneuvers. We must conserve life here. Get me through to their leader.”

A moment later, a new voice came through. “Executor! We finally get the okay?”

“Yes, Squad Leader! See if you can save him!”

“We’ll do what we can! We’re moving now!”

Morgan leaned back and said a silent prayer. He returned to the original channel. “Group, our closest intel squad is advancing on their position and should be there in thirty.”

“Wait, what is your intel doing so close to South Figaro?” Edgar questioned.

“They were going to verify the success of the cannon.”

“Ah yes, that does make sense. I’ll wake up soon. Just let me know if they can somehow save him for me.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Morgan chuckled. He then leaned back. They were his top intel squad, sure, but combat operations outside of their leader weren’t the strongest. Still, he trusted them to do their best. After all, they were Utok’s best.  They were also, now, the next wave of people to face off against Diabolos.


	68. For the World

Locke hadn’t moved since he observed the esper speak to him. To his relief, neither had the esper.

Diabolos finally broke the tension. “So, human, why did you run away so?”

“Survival, pretty much,” Locke replied as he set his ETCH to pick up the conversation.

“Ha! You are smarter than those humans on that contraption. They simply ran around in circles or even ran toward me. They clearly didn’t care about life.”

“Diabolos, why? Please listen to reason! There doesn’t have to be violence!”

“Oh really, human? So far, all I know of your kind is its hatred for everything. They hate espers. They hate this world. They hate each other! Dare I ask why violence isn’t inevitable?”

“Please, just listen and let me explain!”

Diabolos chuckled. “The first explanation failed. But I will grant you one chance. Something about you…” he squinted as he seemingly stared through Locke’s very muscles and nerves.

Locke gulped. “Thank you. As I said, violence can be avoided. We can ensure you need not fear us.”

“Human, I grow tired of the same recycled arguments! Nothing has been shown to convince me we can coexist.”

“Please, then, let me introduce you to my queen!”

“Your… queen?”

“Yes, Terra is half-human and half-esper.”

Diabolos suddenly howled. “Wait, what do you say, human?”

“Aye, it’s true. Her mother was human! And her father was an esper named Maduin!”

Diabolos grabbed his head, seemingly in agony. “No, did Maduin really…” he slammed his fist into the sand. “How could they betray their own creed?”

“Wait, their own creed?”

“You don’t know your own world history, human?”

“Not this part, apparently.”

“Yes, you see, I guarded the espers as they first entered their secret realm. I did so under the agreement from them that they remain sealed away for eternity. It was the only way they could survive.”

Locke pondered this. “Then, they must have left their realm at some point after you left.  Maduin spoke to her and us. The gate was open at some point. Terra’s mother tried to escape from the human world and Maduin took her in. It was there that Terra was born.”

“Human, what does that show me? Humans still crave our powers!”

“But it shows we can coexist!” Locke was crying now. “My gods, all it takes is one esper and one human to show that it can be done! It shows we are capable of loving each other!”

“Human, please calm down,” Diabolos muttered. “What you say is indeed true. But I must ask you this. Has magic really disappeared from our world?”

“Aye. It disappeared the day my friends and I destroyed a madman named Kefka.”

“And the Warring Triad?”

Locke looked down. “Yes. It was the only way to stop him from destroying all of humanity.”

Diabolos closed his eyes, deep in thought. Locke studied him quickly. He then shuddered. He knew Diabolos’ intentions well enough. He had not been swayed by what had been said.

Diabolos then opened his eyes with a thoughtful feeling. “You used magic, didn’t you?”

“Huh?”

“You once wielded magic. I can sense it in your body and mind. How did you learn it?”

“The espers. They turned into magicite and granted us their powers to stop an evil Empire and Kefka.”

“They willingly gave themselves up for you?”

“I guess so. I can’t blame them. What the Empire did,” Locke looked down again, shuddering, “was so heinous. They used the espers for such horrific acts.”

Diabolos smiled. “And you, from what I can sense, focused mostly on healing magics and restorative spells.”

“Indeed. My focus was to protect my friends.”

“Your human friends, you mean?”

“Well, yes. What the Empire did pretty much stop the espers from being able to do much of anything. Thankfully, we stopped them.”

“I see. Human, I can feel your sincerity in this discussion. I can see you are a great spirit among the humans. Do you have a name?”

“Yes. I am Locke Cole.”

“Well, Locke Cole, I appreciate your honesty in explaining human nature’s follies. I can truly sense what you mean to accomplish in this world. I wish to help however I can.”

Locke didn’t let his guard down. His reading ability hadn’t failed him here. “Diabolos, how exactly do you plan to help?”

“That’s simple. I agree to act such that I guarantee safety to those who wish to maintain a peace in this world and to ensure magic can flourish once again!”

Locke groaned. “So this is how it must be, then?”

Diabolos now studied him. He finally laughed. “Not bad, human! I can see I cannot fool you with clever words and phrases.”

“No you cannot. Lies are not good in establishing peace.”

“No, no they are not. See, Locke Cole, I have heard many a tale from humans over eons. Please don’t misunderstand me, though. I do believe your intentions are pure. I do believe you and a group of humans are intending on establishing peace here on earth, and it is a noble pursuit. What you do not understand, though, is that you are all the same on the inside.”

“What do you mean, on the inside?”

“I mean you all possess the same human nature. You intend on surviving through deceit and treachery. You’d just as soon destroy everything else for your own survival. And I’ve seen good humans try to fight against destiny, only to end up suffering at the hands of other humans. Truly sad, really. There’s only one way to break this cycle and ensure peace.”

Locke gulped.

“That’s right, Locke Cole. Peace can only be ensured without humans. After I finish off the last of this menace, there will be no one who can hurt the espers I shall create into this world. We will help it grow and flourish back to the way it used to be. And this time, nothing will exist that can upset the equilibrium this great land once held.”

Locke began to shed a tear.

“Human, please don’t look at me with an eye like that. You saw this outcome well before. You are wise and clearly strong. Our battle today will be glorious. Please believe me when I say that I believed your intentions for a peaceful world. It is unfortunately overshadowed by the corruption of others. Now, draw your weapons!”

Locke shuddered as he withdrew his dagger and Wing Edge. He quietly said a prayer for his safety and that for his family. Diabolos then had his spear materialize into his right hand.

“Any final words, human?”

Locke breathed deep and stared at him. “I know not the outcome, but I know I will give everything I have to protect my family this morning. Love will win the day.”

Diabolos smiled. “Noble to the end. Admirable. I simply say that despite this battle, when I finally kill you, you shall be forgiven. To that end, I ensure you will die with honor.”

They stared at each other. Locke finally pointed his dagger at Diabolos and made a motion beckoning him to strike. Diabolos cackled with delight.

“En garde!” he shouted.  He then lunged forward.

 

The first to scream in the room, surprisingly, was Sabin himself. He then nearly fainted himself as he heard the clang of metal on something. Even stranger, he screamed louder as the first gasp of what could constitute pain came from Diabolos. Edgar chalked it up to too much coffee, but still he felt himself and the room on edge as they listened to a skirmish miles away, terrified for their friend and colleague.

Edgar then looked around and nearly cried. Curley had begun a prayer circle and everyone was now joining in. He had never been religious, but at this point he could be flexible if it helped Locke survive the next twenty-five minutes or so until reinforcements arrived.

“Leaders, Locke has engaged Diabolos. We’re praying for him. We know he needs it.”

“Understood. We shall do the same,” Dewitt announced. Then, the line went silent.

All Edgar could hear now were the sounds of the battlefield as he joined hands with two Shadows, eyes closed and head bowed. He prayed for Celes to continue to recover. He prayed for Terra to have as smooth a pregnancy as possible. He prayed for all of his friends to continue to grow strong and be ready, if needbe, to fight Diabolos and avenge Locke. Mostly, though, he prayed for his best friend to just hang on somehow, in whatever way he could, to survive the deadly assault he now faced from Diabolos until reinforcements arrived.

 

Locke quickly assessed the first strike with relative ease. As Diabolos swung high, he darted forward and slid between his legs, launching the Wing Edge up into his stomach as he passed under. The Gigas Glove added extra power as Diabolos suddenly howled in slight pain from the contact. Locke then ran away from the skirmish, catching the Wing Edge as it glided back to his hand.

He then turned to see Diabolos wincing. He surveyed for damage, but the best he could see was maybe a small crack in what looked like abs of solid rock. He grumbled. It would take a lot of strikes to do any damage.

Luckily, Diabolos had a very basic attack pattern, and with each attempted strike, Locke was able to dodge and repeatedly strike his abdomen with the Wing Edge. It would take some time, sure, but Locke had already decided that the stomach had to be the weak point. From his perspective, defeating Diabolos would require concentrated strikes on a specific part of his body. The stomach had been selected strictly based off what the Wing Edge connected with from the first engagement. Now Locke had to pray that this would work somehow.

After roughly fifteen rushes by Diabolos, Locke found himself wondering if he was doing _any_ damage. He didn’t seem slowed at all, and Locke found himself beginning to get tired from all of the defensive movements and throws of the Wing Edge. He stared in front of him as Diabolos begin to cackle again. This time, there was no strategy. He suddenly rushed as fast as he could at Locke, thinking he could catch him offguard. Locke thought fast and decided on one simple course of action.

He quickly wound up and launched the Wing Edge as fast as he could at his opponent.

Diabolos clearly did not expect such a simple attack. He tried to drop his spear fast enough to deflect the flying disc, but he was too slow, and he shouted angrily in pain as the Wing Edge crashed againt his torso. The force effectively stopped him in his tracks and sent him falling backward to the sand.

Locke quickly collected his Wing Edge and circled around Diabolos to get better positioning for the next attack. As he rotated, though, he began to smile. He had finally done it. A hole had formed in the carapace he had been attacking, and inside he saw what he considered to be something… beautiful. He knew it as he leered into the aperture. He was staring at the very magical essence of Diabolos, unstable, shifting colors, and now vulnerable to his strikes.

He then looked onward at Diabolos. His pained howls reflected actual pain. He was now suffering as well. Locke breathed a triumphant breath and began to calculate his next round of attacks. In this short moment, Locke now had the belief and courage that he could defeat Diabolos.

In the next moment, however, he openly cursed. “My gods, are you fucking kidding me?”

His ETCH quickly had Edgar shouting. “Locke? Are you there?”

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

Locke grumbled. Diabolos had turned a bluish green. He knew the color scheme for the magical properties he had utilized to save his brothers and sisters in arms. He watched as the hole he had spent so much time and energy creating was now slowly being sealed up.

Diabolos had healed himself. Now, he would be forced to start over at square one.

“Should’ve seen this coming, Edgar. He can use cure magic too.”

“Damnit. Locke, do you think you can hang on long enough?”

“Don’t know, now.”

“Try and disable him and escape if you can.”

“Okay,” Locke grumbled. He stared angrily as he watched Diabolos slowly get to his feet. Diabolos turned around and smiled at Locke. He began clapping.

“My, I was certainly wrong about your resolve. You’ve exceeded my expectations. I will write about your passion and courage as reminders to my espers on not to take battle lightly ever again. Thank you, Locke Cole. Now I know to tread very carefully as I continue to battle you and your friends.”

“Diabolos, please. We don’t gain anything from death here,” Locke pleaded.

“Oh, but we do. We gain the world.” And with that, Diabolos summoned his spear again and charged.

Locke had barely any time to react, but he decided to focus somewhere new. He launched the Wing Edge at Diabolos’ left leg. It crashed against where he assumed the knee would be.

Diabolos had clearly anticipated another torso strike and had not prepared for this new attack. He suddenly stumbled forward and fell to the ground, howling again. This time, however, as his spear came down, the point slashed against Locke’s right arm. Locke now howled in pain as he grabbed his arm, cursing. He quickly ran to the far side of the beach.

He now inspected his arm. The spear had not gone in deep at all, but it still hurt. He was now bleeding slightly, and he had no medical supplies to wrap his arm. His eye suddenly caught sight of the Valiant Knife. The blade now had a slight bluish tint to it. He then looked up at Diabolos again. He was struggling to get to his feet this time, but the same bluish green glow around his knee meant that the strike was again for naught.

Diabolos finally stood himself up again and turned to Locke. His face now showed anger. “Locke Cole, this has been an honor. Now, I must up the tempo.” He then brought his right hand up and began to channel what looked like particles of magical essence into a concentrated yellow sphere. “I hold little advantage against you in melee combat. I shall heed your strategy of attacking from afar. Now, take this!” Diabolos suddenly unleashed his energy in Locke’s direction.

Locke quickly brought his left hand up to have his Reflect Ring face the incoming magic projectile. He then braced for impact. _Gods, I hope this ring still has its abilities._

Two seconds later, he breathed a sigh of relief. The electrical shock had halted around him as his body now had a blue barrier around it, matching the one exuding from his Ring. He then pushed the Reflect Ring back in the direction of Diabolos, screaming angrily as he did.

Diabolos simply sat there, muttering to himself as his own electrical pulse was now bearing down on him. He closed his eyes and held his arms up in a defensive stance.

The sound of the energy crashing against his body was louder than Locke remembered the sound to be. Still, he muttered as he saw the end result. Diabolos simply got slammed backward into the ground. Not a single sign of damage had occurred.

Diabolos, this time, quicky got to his feet. He stared in Locke’s direction. “Impressive trick. You seem to have me well scouted.” He focused closer on the Reflect Ring. “Fascinating! A ring that repels magical essence! Human, you are a truly worthy opponent.”

Locke didn’t relax his stance. He knew that Diabolos was considering another round of much stronger magic.  Locke then quickly brought up the Reflect Ring again. This time, Diabolos was bringing up a much more menacing, concentrated sphere of dark blue and light green energies. Diabolos angrily howled as he unleashed both at his adversary.

The sound was deafening. Both energies crashed against Locke and his blue barrier. He was sent backwards from the force of the magic, but this meant he no longer could control the direction of the reflection. Soon, he got to his feet and quickly assessed the scene. The water had been redirected to the sea, but the wind still lingered strongly. Most likely it had been deflected at the cliffs. He looked at his hand and cursed. That energy had been much stronger than anything he had ever experienced, and it was clearly much stronger than the Reflect Ring had ever handled. The blue raised surface now had a large crack in it.

He could no longer reflect Diabolos’ magic. He was pretty much out of defensive assistance.

He then looked down at the sand. An idea came to him. It had worked before.

He quickly began running around Diabolos as fast as he could. As he did, he dragged the dagger through the sand, kicking up a suddenly large sandstorm aided by Diabolos’ own magical air currents. As the plume grew, he heard Diabolos begin to cough and howl in anger. He then stopped and prepped his Wing Edge, waiting to see the profile of his opponent. As soon as it began to clear up, he realized he was behind Diabolos. He saw the stairs just past the rocks ahead of him. This was his chance to escape.

He charged forward silently and with all of his might he launched the Wing Edge again at the left leg of Diabolos. This time, without the protection the front of the leg provided, he cheered triumphantly as the disc cracked through almost to the front of the knee. As Diabolos howled in pain and agony, he slid between the esper’s legs as he saw Diabolos falling backward. As soon as he knew he had passed Diabolos, he took a quick glance over his shoulder.

Diabolos was now on his back, grabbing his knee with his left hand and almost whimpering. He made eye contact with Locke and then had his left hand begin to glow bluish green again.

Locke then broke for the stairs. This healing would take a while. That gave him time to try and gain position on the top of the cliff. Elevation could allow him to strike downward and hopefully keep Diabolos down on the beach. It was something to try now. Locke didn’t think he could survive much longer on the beach. Now the stairs were merely seconds away.

Suddenly, Locke screamed in terror.

He then landed face down in the sand, still screaming. He quickly flipped himself over and examined his left leg. It was now glowing an ominous purple. Even staring at it in horror, though, he swore it felt like his leg no longer existed. He tried to move it, but even his brain had suddenly began processing like he had always only used his right leg. He began to cry as he stopped moving and instead lay there on the beach, defeated. He knew exactly what had happened. Diabolos had fired off one last shot of magical energy with his right hand.

He would slowly lose feeling in his body over the next half hour as the dark essence climbed up toward his abdomen, and then his heart and lungs would cease to function. He was now unable to escape his fate.

He had failed in his quest to stop Diabolos and protect humanity.

“Edgar, are you there?” he whimpered quietly.

“Locke, my gods, what happened? We’re all terrified right now!”

“Creeping death, left leg. I’m not going to make it.” He winced again. “Back of knee is susceptible to hits… have to neutralize his arms to stop his cure magic, I think. Whole team together might survive him. Please, Edgar, avenge me for my family.” Locke then began to cry. He was still crying when he noticed Diabolos looking over him. He was not smiling.

“Please don’t be so upset. You knew this was the outcome. You simply aren’t strong enough alone.” He then stared at Locke’s leg. “I will take your lessons to heart and hunt your kind one at a time. The gods, however, will welcome you into their kingdom, proud of your valiant efforts. And I will give you my blessing as you move on to the afterlife. Thank you again for the education and perspective.”

He then grabbed Locke by the throat with his hands and lifted him up into the air. Locke gasped and gurgled as his oxygen supply slowly began to dwindle. “Locke Cole, I will not allow you to suffer slowly on this ground. You deserve to go with as little agony as possible. That is my final promise to you.” He cackled with delight as he began to clamp down harder on his adversary’s throat. “It is a shame. At the end of the day, though, humans are all the same on the inside.”

Locke’s hands were now frantically trying to unbind his throat, but suddenly a twinkle in his eye showed he had registered one final maneuver. If it worked…

_On the inside…_

He quickly brought his left hand down to the Valiant Knife, which now glowed from hilt to blade tip with a powerful blue hue. His right hand then rushed to his ear where his ETCH was. He began to type a sequence into it, stopping at the last button stroke. He then tried to steady his left hand. He would get one and only one chance at this. He prayed for success as he felt himself starting to fall into unconsciousness from asphyxiation.

This was his final strike.

With all of his remaining energy, Locke swung the Valiant Knife across the face and mouth of Diabolos. To his quick relief, the blue blade now had the strength and aura needed to cut through the cheeks and jaw of his foe with little to no resistance. He watched the esper suddenly open his mouth and scream in terrifying pain. Locke closed his eyes.

_Please let this work._

He then tapped the last button of the sequence and held the ETCH in his right hand. He looked forward. There was only one guarantee of making this work.

He shoved his right hand down Diabolos’ throat via the cut his Valiant Knife had made on his left cheek while holding the ETCH. He then tensed, waiting for the sequence to do its job. Diabolos struggled and choked mightily from this unusual attack.

Then, the sensation hit Locke and he yelped as he withdrew his hand. The meltdown had begun.

The next thing he felt was the ground as he landed onto the sand. He was now in a sitting position, staring up in excitement at what he had accomplished.

Diabolos was now grabbing at his throat and chest, screaming. This time, though, the screams were primal. Now, Locke recognized that Diabolos himself was terrified of falling on this battlefield. Locke’s eyes suddenly opened with triumph. From the throat down to near where a human diaphragm would be, the demon's entire rocky exterior was melting and becoming liquid.

In the next instant, Diabolos howled louder than he had before. Most of his upper carapace was now gone, and all Locke could see was his inside energy, rapidly flashing in colors and looking unstable and vulnerable.

His trick had worked.

He quickly grabbed his last DATE and began to size up his foe for another strike. He then looked up in shock.

Diabolos had stopped moving. He was now using all of his energy to try and maintain his cure spell, and Locke wasn’t sure he was actually being successful. It took a few moments, but then he stared in awe as the carapace started to return, though at a very slow pace.

Locke closed his eyes. He knew he had one more chance. He focused and imagined the motion he needed to use. He got up as fast as he could. He had all his weight on his right leg. That would cause a problem with his motion. With his right hand burning from the ETCH, he would have to use his left here. Still, his brain quickly calculated how to step forward.

He quickly typed the meltdown sequence into his DATE and then, with his left hand in position and his right eye closed, he quickly envisioned how the throw had to go. With all of his focus, he leaned back and stepped forward onto his useless left leg. It would provide just enough stability, he told himself. He then brought his left arm forward, remembering to snap a little more downward in his motion. Now, he felt his weight temporarily held up by the bones and muscles of the left side of his body, just as he had needed it to go.

In the next instant, he let go of the DATE. He watched it glide through the air toward Diabolos’ chest, willing it toward where the largest hole still remained.

Locke then smiled. The last thing he saw as the DATE lodged itself into the magical essence was its red light activate.

He then fell forward awkwardly into the sand. He quickly looked up to view if he had found success.

It took only a second, but suddenly Diabolos’ eyes widened. He began frantically clawing and scratching at his chest, screeching out of fear and uncertainty and unsuccessfully being able to remove the DATE as his new carapace had finally regenerated. “No!” he shouted as he seemingly tried to focus all of his curative forces into his chest. Locke noticed his trembling as his body began to glow multiple colors.

In the next moments, he stared in amazement. Diabolos himself seemed to be melting. It wasn’t just his chest this time. Now, his tail and horns began to drip away as Diabolos began screaming uncontrollably, doing everything he could to avoid his now inevitable demise.

Finally, Diabolos closed his mouth and dropped his head. All that remained of him was his magical essence, now swirling outward and unraveling, slowly disappearing, taking with it his physical form. He had accepted his fate. The last thing he did was open his eyes and look at his victorious opponent. “I guess I shall go in peace as well. Please forgive me, Locke Cole.”

Locke sighed. He knew his fate was sealed as well. Still, in that moment, he held a connection with Diabolos. Both had fought valiantly to protect their own races on the beach that morning. Humanity had won, but in that moment he truly understood how Diabolos had to have felt when he was summoned, feeling threatened by the world, and being willing to do what it took to preserve the esper race. Locke closed his eyes.

“For the world, I forgive you, Diabolos. In this, we shall both die with honor.”

He then opened his eyes again to see the last of Diabolos’ face. He was smiling.

In the next instant, Locke was slammed with unbelievable magical energy. The last thing he saw before momentarily blacking out was the instability of the magical essence fusing into five smaller crystal structures. When he came to, a few moments later, he looked out to the beach where Diabolos once stood.

Five stones now lay on the beach. Each had a separate hue of purple, dark blue, gold, brown, and black. Locke stared at them, thoughtfully. _Rest in peace again, Diabolos._

Suddenly, the five stones began to crack and disintegrate into the sand. Locke watched as he saw the last of their magical powers begin to shoot upward into the sky, outward toward space.

Now, only he remained on the beach.

He smiled as he assessed his condition. Somewhere in the destruction of Diabolos, his right leg had now ceased to be felt. His lower pelvis still had movement, but that would disappear in a few minutes time. His Valiant Knife still glowed blue, reminding him that his life was soon to come to an end. His dagger and Wing Edge lay in front of him on the sand.

He then placed his head on his arms in the sand and closed his eyes, smiling. As he drifted off, he saw visions of the future. He saw the kingdoms coming together in a new mission for world peace. He saw Edgar and Terra happily caring for their child. He saw Curley finally coming home to her family, not needing to fear conflict separating them. He saw Kinnick happily married with his love Rosa. He saw Lord Alma smiling, knowing full well that her kingdom had played an integral part in saving the world. He saw his friends who joined him at Kefka’s Tower, all grown up and finally moving on from having to be the world’s saviors. He saw the High Council paying him respects as they opened their borders up to allow their people to finally be free again. He then saw them all crying but proud at his funeral in South Figaro, echoing eulogies of his selflessness and sacrifice for all of humanity.

Finally, Locke saw Celes standing on the deck at their house with their two children in her arms, nurturing them and caring for them, smiling at a world that no longer threatened them.

On this last thought, he finally began to cry, “Celes, I did it. I saved us. I gave you the world. One of peace and safety for our family. Help them grow strong. I will do the same from above.” He then looked up to the sky one last time.

_I did it. I protected us all._

He finally drifted off to an unconscious state, happy and with no regrets.


	69. An Unlikely Savior

As soon as his ETCH and DATE lights went out on the console, Mission Control lost its energy.

Many in the room began to openly cry. The last sounds they had heard were Locke struggling to breathe and Diabolos sounding hostile and promising to end Locke’s life quickly. Based off the abrupt cutting off of the ETCH, they all could only imagine what Diabolos had done to Locke’s body.

Edgar slowly raised his hand to tap his headset. “Kingdoms, we just lost contact. Based off last sounds and transmissions, I think we just lost him.”

After some silence, Morgan spoke up. “Your Majesty, our intel squad should be there in ten to twelve minutes. I will have them contact us as soon as they can to let us know what happened. In the meantime, we will continue to pray for his safety.”

“Executors, it matters not. Even before that, he was hit with that purple energy. If not dead now, he will be soon.”

“I see. In that case, we’ll alert you with what our squad leader finds out.”

 

The Utok medics with the squadron looked down at the body on the sand and frowned. “Looks like it spread up to his stomach. He’s got maybe ten minutes left.”

“Does it match the diagnosis we got from Figaro and the High Council?”

“Indeed. It is the Creeping Death.” The medic sighed. “Hope this actually works,” he prayed as he inserted a needle filled with orange fluid into Locke’s lower back. He then leaned back. “We’ll know if it works in maybe a minute or two.”

The rest of the squadron sat back and prayed. Their leader was still walking around, surveying the scene. She was trying to piece together what had happened on the beach before they had arrived. She needed to confirm her suspicions that this man had succeeded.

After two minutes, the medic brought a device back to Locke’s body. He studied its screen for a few moments before he nodded. “Ma’am, the spread has definitely stopped.”

The Squad Leader suddenly ran up to him. “Seriously?”

“Yep. Looks like those researchers actually did come up with an antidote.”

“Excellent! Is the paralysis leaving as well?”

“No ma’am, just locked into the lower body now.”

“Well, add another syringe then!”

“Ma’am, we’re not sure that’ll do anything.”

“We weren’t sure on the first one! That’s an order! I’m not letting this Shadow die! That’s why I stole the damn things in the first place!”

“Aye, ma’am,” the medic said as he grabbed another syringe and placed it in Locke’s lower back. “Stand by for another two minutes.”

The Squad Leader sat back, giddy, feeling very optimistic. She tapped her helmet. “Executor, this is Intel Squad Leader. Attempting to treat their Shadow on the beach. Will let you know results.” She then focused again on the body and the medic. “Anticipation is killing me!”

The medic grumbled. “Well, thankfully I don’t think the creep is killing him anymore.”

“Good show! Let me know results.” She then returned to the beach, scouring it for any clues relating to the battle that had just concluded.

A minute later, the medic jumped up and pumped his fist in the air. “Ma’am, it’s creeping away! Very slowly. Probably another twenty minutes or so until it is all gone!”

The Squad Leader jumped in the air, shouting celebrations. “You did it! Hell yeah!” She then turned to the medics. “Let me know if he wakes up in the next ten. We’re leaving then, and you two shall stand back to continue treatment.”

“Aye, Squad Leader!” the medics shouted. Then, they looked down, chuckling. The man in the sand had suddenly begun to violently cough. “Ma’am, he’s waking up!”

“Fantastic! Help him regain his senses. I’d like to have a few words with him when he’s ready.”

 

Locke suddenly opened his eyes. His body now felt a lot different, like it suddenly had the strength to battle anything. He slowly shifted his neck around and looked forward, confused. Now, many eyes were upon him, happily smiling. Locke became even more confused. “What the?”

“Sir, calm down. You clearly took some good punishment,” a medic replied. “We’ve been treating you. We think you’re going to be good to go.”

Locke sighed and dropped his head back in the sand. “Sadly, no. My death will happen in maybe fifteen or twenty. Nothing you could do.”

The medics began to chuckle. “Got to have more faith than that.”

“Tough to do that. Diabolos hit me with energy that I can’t fight. My heart will stop soon.”

“Bullshit, Cole!” a voice suddenly bellowed out, startling Locke. He quickly looked up, stunned and perplexed. As he looked up, he suddenly dropped his jaw. Everything suddenly made sense, and yet it didn’t.

Locke was looking up at Finn, the Intel Squad Leader. She was smiling at him.

 

It took a moment for Locke to piece together how a dead body had come to life in front of him. Finally, he began to laugh. He now understood how it had worked.

“Finn? Seriously?”

“The one and only, Cole!” she laughed as she reached down and gave him a hug. “My gods it has been a while, hasn’t it?”

“It has. Wow, I cannot believe I didn’t see it. Damn you are good!”

“Aw, come on! You set the bar very high. Hope you don’t mind that I stole a lot of your insights to train my guys. It’s why they’re the best.”

“I’d say a double agent fooling me is probably a little better at this than I am.”

“Well, that is fair. Still, it warms my heart to know I saved your scrawny ass.”

“Finn, as strange as it is to see you, you can’t save me from this.”

“Our antidote says otherwise.”

“Wait, antidote?” Locke quickly swung around his head to look at the medics who were holding two orange syringes and chuckling.

“Yep! We had one prepped for purple and dark green energy. Sorry, loverboy, but you’re going to recover from this, too. Paralysis gone in roughly twenty.” Locke’s stunned look made Finn laugh. “Come on, Cole! I figured by now you’d have lightened up with good news!”

“Finn, I don’t know what to say!”

“Tell you what, just talk about what happened to Diabolos. I’ll inform the High Council, Figaro, and the Kazen.” She smiled at him. “They’re all going to shit bricks when they find out you made it, too.”

Locke smiled. He then recalled the entire fight, including the dialogue and the battle strategies both combatants had used. Finally, he finished up with the DATE and the destruction of the Nether Stones.

Finn began to cry. “Those damn Stones are finally no more?”

“Afraid so.”

“No, that is awesome! You did it, Cole! You saved the world! Man, now I’d like to get me a piece of that world-saving body!” she joked.

Locke laughed. “Now now, Mrs. Cole would kill me, and your medics’ efforts would be wasted.”

“Wait, Mrs. Cole? Please tell me it’s that politician goddess, the Vice Chancellor.”

“It is, Finn,” he replied, smiling. “Twins are due in maybe a month and a half!”

“Shut up,” Finn shouted as she punched his arm. “Seriously? You’re having kids? With her, who’s way out of your league? Gods, our new world is screwed.” Both began to laugh. “Congrats, Cole. Seems only right you were able to fix that wrong. Man, being stuck in the Northeast for so long, you miss out on the world gossip.”

“Thank you, Finn. You know, I bet Stokely would love to hear from you.”

Finn sighed, now looking sad. “Losing Stokely was probably the most difficult part for me returning to Utok. What on earth would he want to do with me again?”

“Who knows? All I know, though, is that if Celes somehow held on to our love, then anything is possible. You should contact him.”

“Hmm, who knows? Well, I’m sure our spy network is going to come down anyways. Maybe I will look him up.” She then looked at her watch. “All right, squad, time to retreat south! Medics, you will stay with him until you can confirm paralysis is gone. Use more syringes if you feel you need to. After that, contact us and we’ll work with Figaro to get you home.” She then smiled and gave Locke a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Cole, thank you for saving the world for us. Time for my kingdom to go answer some ugly questions. I’ll be thinking of you!”

“Thanks Finn, for everything. Stay safe.”

“Based off your track record, I’d say I should be wishing that on you! Man, tortured, thrown through the water, creeping death, now fatherhood? You’re the thrill seeker!”

Both laughed and waved goodbyes. Now, he was alone on the beach with the medics.

“So you knew her in Shadow Ops?”

“Yep.”

The medic chuckled. “She spoke pretty highly of you.”

Locke grinned. “Strange she didn’t mention me to the High Council before this.”

“Eh, I’m sure she had her reasons. Rumors are she had found the identities of pretty much every agent in Shadow Ops, yet never told the High Council. We’ve trusted her instincts, though, and have survived thus far.”

Locke smiled. That was a mystery and rumor he may never solve. In this moment, it didn’t matter.

 

Soon, one of the medics looked up and motioned for a stretcher. Locke pumped a fist as he looked up and saw two Figaro scouts motion back. He then relaxed back into the sand, the tension beginning to leave his body. He joked with the scouts as they hoisted him onto the stretcher and strapped him down, ready to bring him up the stairs and to the top of the cliff.

Once he was up, he gave the scout leader a hearty handshake. “Feels good to see you.”

“Likewise!” the scout leader responded as he handed Locke his ETCH. “I’m on speaker right now,” he added as he muffled the ETCH. “Bet they’ll go nuts when you announce it.”

Locke beamed with delight as he placed the ETCH in his ear. He did his best to imitate the scout leader. “Mission Control?”

He heard Edgar suddenly pipe up. “Brannon? You there? Where’s your position now?”

Locke then laughed. “Edgar, it’s Locke. I’m coming home victorious and alive!”

All he could hear now was the raucous celebration in Mission Control.


	70. Their Eyes

The second Locke’s voice was heard, Sabin couldn’t control himself. “YES!” he shouted as he began to run around high-fiving everyone and giving the Shadows and assistants hugs. “Second shift for the win!” Laughter and celebration soon followed.

Edgar could only collapse into his chair, crying in happiness and elation. The moment he had heard Locke’s voice so triumphant, he could not hold his emotions back any more. Finally, he caught himself enough to talk back. “Locke, oh gods I’m so fucking proud of you. Get some rest on the way here, and you can fill us in on the details we don’t have yet.” He then motioned to Sabin. “Let the kingdoms know of the glorious news!”

“Already on it!” Sabin shouted, tapping his headset. “Gang, it’s the Prince. We got Locke! He made it! He’ll be at the castle in probably four hours. We stopped Diabolos!”

“Outstanding! Tell your brother I will be at the castle soon, then. I will want to congratulate him personally,” Alma announced.

“If it’s not too much trouble, the High Council wishes to travel there as well. At the very least, we want to offer congratulations and apologies. I daresay we need to begin assessing how much we owe both of your kingdoms,” Dewitt asserted.

“Guys, just come by and celebrate the reclamation of our world,” Sabin insisted. “There will be plenty of time later to divvy up our shares of the blame for this.”

“Our shares? Prince Sabin, respectfully, this is pretty much a Utok problem,” Olson chuckled. “We will do what we can to fix this.”

“Respectfully, I’m not going to allow that. All three kingdoms, in my opinion, screwed up somewhere by hating each other. We all owe the world something.”

“Formalities, finally? Seems strange from your tongue. There is wisdom there, however. Once the celebration subsides, The Kazen will be ready to discuss what we can do as well,” Alma chuckled.

“That’s more like it! I’m off channel for now. Gotta wake up everyone and tell them the good news!” Sabin then removed his headset and looked over the room. “Someone go wake up Terra, Kingsley, and Curley. They’re gonna go nuts.”

Edgar looked up happily. “I still can’t believe that damn thief pulled this off.”

“You mean the thief and his wife!  I’ll get the banquet hall ready.”

Edgar nodded and laughed. Then he surveyed the rest of Mission Control. Everyone was lighter than air now. The stresses and prospects of the end of days were now but a fading memory. He closed his eyes. In this moment, he reminded himself to never forget how close they had come to destruction.

 

Celes slowly began to stir. Her whole body felt a lot heavier than she had expected. Still, it didn’t seem to be too much to overcome. After all, in her mind, only a few moments ago she had been ready to calculate new ways to slow or stop Diabolos. Now, she actually felt somewhat refreshed for some reason, and her mind felt clearer. Still, she grumbled. She had no doubt fallen asleep, and that meant she had not been able to help Locke out for some time. She quickly touched her ear, thinking she would find the ETCH.

She shuddered when she noticed it was now gone.

In that instant, she quickly shot up in her bed, very nervous. In the next instant, she was confused and worried. She recognized that she was in a hospital bed and had several medical instruments and IVs attached to her. Her next instinct was to immediately hold her children in her hands as she hugged her belly in a protective stance.

“Ah, she’s finally awake!” Celes turned to see Hockhousen in the doorway, smiling. “Had a good sleep, too!”

“Doctor, ye gods, what happened?  How are my little ones?” she belted out in a near panic.

“You overexerted yourself and your body forced you to sleep. You’ve been out for a good eight hours or so. You really needed it, you and your little ones.”

Celes began to cry. “Are, are they okay?”

Hockhousen looked at two screens. “Looks it. They are definitely awake right now. The IV kept you three hydrated enough. Looks like you didn’t take my advice on sleep very seriously.”

Celes breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she quickly looked nervous again. “Ye gods, I need to get back to Mission Control!”

“No, you have been ordered to stay here and continue to rest.”

“Doctor, I appreciate your concerns, but I have much bigger problems that need addressing, now!”

“No, you don’t.”

Celes suddenly looked at the doorway. There was Terra, smiling. Something about the smile gave Celes a sudden wave of positive energy. “Terra? What happened?”

Terra finally broke down in tears of joy. “Locke did it. He stopped Diabolos.”

Celes felt herself beginning to break down herself. “Terra, I swear, if you’re lying to me right now…”

“Nope. All true. He should be back at the castle in the next hour. Celes, you two did it, together you saved the world…” Now Terra was over at the side of her bed, crying.

Celes leaned back. The news overwhelmed her. She began to cry as well as she hugged her stomach. Then, the two friends began to hug in celebration and jubilance at the prospects of a world that now seemed safe.

 

Some time later, Celes awoke again. The news had taken another emotional toll on her and she had allowed herself the time to sleep more. This time, she smiled as she slowly rolled over to her back and stretched as she yawned. After a few moments she finally opened her eyes, smiling. She already felt the pair of loving eyes watching over her, protecting her.

Celes looked to the chair seated right next to her bed. There he was, smiling. His eyes radiated a gentleness and assuring glow, and his hands now found themselves on her belly, announcing to their children that he had returned. She slowly sat herself up and continued to gaze into his beautiful grey eyes, feeling a wave of euphoria settle over her from head to toe.

Locke continued to stare into the beautiful blue eyes that had captured him so long ago. This time, he felt a bond stronger than at any point before. In this moment, he realized he was fully at ease with himself for the first time in years.

The two continued to simply stare at each other. Their smiles and love were now forever together in time. They were inescapable. Their souls had created a union that had now survived almost everything imaginable that could be thrown at them.

No words needed to be spoken. This time, their eyes told the story.


	71. The World Spins

Miranda grumbled. She should be a lot happier than she was right now. The acceptance letter had granted her what she had been building for the last two years. Now she could finally work toward a career she had wanted since she was ten and began fencing.

Instead, she looked over to her sister, Ariel. It was always strange to think that the two shared the same birthday and yet were so different. Sure, they looked almost exactly the same and had pretty much split most of their mother and father’s features, but inside they felt like opposites. She was organized, demanded efficiency, and spent most of her time studying and working on her favorite hobbies. Ariel, however, only cleaned up when father insisted and seemed destined to make a meager living as a musician. It seemed like a waste of obvious intellect: Ariel passed school with flying colors and very rarely had to open the books. Her grades would make her valedictorian if she believed that homework was as important as her dreams of being a professional cellist and soccer player. To that end, Miranda did feel jealous. She had been forced to earn her acceptance to the Figaro Military Academy. Ariel had it much easier to get into the prestigious Jidoor University for the Fine Arts.

Suddenly, she turned and smiled. There was Dad. Miranda’s eye now shifted toward the cane he was using and immediately looked down, almost afraid to look up. It had been her recklessness in trying to ride a chocobo at too young an age against her mother’s wishes that had forced him to tackle the bird before she was clawed to death, and he hadn’t escaped without permanent damage to his left knee. The cane was a reminder to her that she had frequently rebelled against her mother and almost lost her father at too young an age. Every day, for the last five and a half years, guilt hit her hard when she saw that cane for the first time that day.

She began to weep. He had placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her that it was no big deal. “Miranda, stop. I told you already, I’m here and I’m so proud of you and your sister for everything you have accomplished. I love you both so much.”

Then, she felt Ariel come up and give both of them a hug. “Seriously, sis. You’ve got to stop beating yourself up over this. They’ll spit you out of your new school way too quickly.”

Miranda sighed but let herself be taken in by the loving support of her family. It had never faltered, and it wouldn’t now. “I love you two so much.”

Dad smiled. “That’s more like it! Have you two decided where we should eat tonight to celebrate?”

Miranda turned red. “Actually, Tim wanted to take me out tonight. Is that okay?”

Ariel laughed. “Wow, you held onto a boy for longer than a month?”

“Stop it, Ariel. I’m sure Mom won’t mind, but that means tomorrow is family night.”

Miranda then hugged him. “Thanks, Dad! I’m going to let him know I can make it, then!” She kissed Dad on the cheek and ran off excited.

He then turned to Ariel and chuckled. “I assume you wanted to jam again with your band?”

Ariel laughed. “If you don’t mind, especially since Princess Miranda has set dinner plans for us tomorrow.”

“Ariel…”

“Okay, okay, sorry Dad. I’ll tone it down. But thank you for letting me go tonight!”

“No worries, but make sure you let us know when you get there.”

“Absolutely! Love you!” she said as she kissed his cheek and ran off as well.

Dad chuckled and turned around. He slowly made his way back to the kitchen, taking care to pass by the three rooms he had built for his children. His sixteen year-olds were preparing for the evening. As he passed the third room, he looked in and grumbled.

His thirteen year-old had not cleaned up his room.

“Stephen!”

Suddenly, Stephen came up running and right into the room. “Sorry Dad, got too busy with the gardening. I’ll get this done quick for you.”

“No, you’ll get it done right. Just let me know next time if you’re busy!”

“I know, I know Dad. I love you. Sorry to frustrate you. I don’t want to take away from Ariel and Miranda’s big day.”

Dad smiled. “Your big day too, and I love you too. Family night will be tomorrow, but get the room cleaned up. Mom will be home any time now from Figaro and I like to present a clean house.”

“True, but sometimes that doesn’t happen,” Mom chuckled from behind.

Dad turned around, smiling big, as he gave his gorgeous wife a huge kiss and hug. “We missed you, honey. Big news today! Both of them got in!”

“What? The Military Academy and Jidoor University?”

“Yes!”

“Oh my gosh! Amazing!” Mom clapped her hands happily. Then, she walked over to Stephen and gave him a hug and kiss. “How did school end up for you?”

“Straight A’s, Mom! I think I’m going to get to join the South Figaro Science Academy next year!”

“Ye gods, that’s fantastic! Do they start you in physics?”

“Chemistry, I hope. I like that stuff more. But yeah, I think I’m finally figuring out the school thing!” Stephen proudly announced, as both of his parents gave him hugs.

“Well, get this room cleaned, and the three of us can go out and get a bite to eat,” Dad beamed proudly.

Mom shot him a glare. “Wait, the three of us?”

“Ariel and Miranda had plans already. I locked them in for tomorrow, though.”

Mom hid her grumblings well enough, though it was silly in this family. All three of her children had inherited her husband’s eyes. “Well, as long as we get one night this weekend. Ye gods, being Chancellor keeps me away from you all too often.”

“Honey, do not worry. Family night tomorrow. Stephen, what would you like to do for dinner?”

“Actually, Dad…”

“Let me guess, the wrestling team has a sleepover somewhere,” Dad chuckled.

“It isn’t a problem, is it? I’m sorry, Mom, I know you wanted this night.”

“Stephen, don’t worry about me. Wouldn’t be right to let your sisters loose and not you.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Stephen replied as he gave her a big hug and kiss. “I love you. I’ll call you when I get there.”

“You’d better,” she jokingly answered, as she watched Stephen get into his clothes and books with gusto. Mom and Dad then retreated to the kitchen.

 

As he finished up, Stephen looked into his mirror. He was a spitting image of Dad except with a muscular build that had allowed him to become a wrestling prodigy, yet he felt he had more of Mom’s personality and, now, intellect. He sighed. It would be difficult to balance his love of sport with that of his newfound fascination for science. At least it gave him something to talk about with both of his parents and his sisters. Now he could sound smart for once.

He then found his way to where his sisters now sat in the family room. “Can one of you give me a chocobo ride to Aaron’s house?”

“I can do it,” Miranda smiled. “Once I leave, Stardust is going to be yours, anyways. Best she get used to you sooner.”

“Thanks, Miranda,” he smiled as he gave her a hug. Then he stepped back and realized he had never seen his sister in such a nice looking dress. “Whoa, I guess you’re going to see Tim?”

“Yes,” Miranda laughed. “It isn’t overkill, is it?”

“Bet he won’t think so,” Ariel joked.

“He’s a lucky guy. Just make sure he’s respectful,” Stephen laughed.

“Steve, I can kick his ass just as well as you can. Don’t worry.”

“Aw, come on, it’s as close as I can get to protecting my sis.”

Ariel laughed. “So noble, just like Dad. Well, I’m heading out.” She gave her brother and sister hugs and kisses. “Be safe tonight, and make him earn it, Miranda.” She quickly dodged the pillow aimed at her head as she laughed.

Miranda was now crimson, and it clashed with her blond hair and blue eyes. “I don’t appreciate the insinuation.”

“I know, but it’s too easy. Gotta prepare you for military life!”

Miranda finally chuckled. “I’ll take your words under advisement. Steve, you ready?”

“Yep. Let’s go find Mom and Dad.”

The three walked to the back deck. They knew they would find them there. That had been their spot at the house since as far back as they could remember. They all smiled as they saw Dad holding Mom against his chest in an old lounge chair, the two smiling off into the darkening sky. They both looked over in unison. “Heading out, I assume?” Mom asked.

“Yeah,” Stephen answered.

“Well, first, congratulations again on your big year, Stephen! Don’t get too hurt tonight. I love you.”

“I won’t, Mom,” he laughed as he gave his parents a final hug and kiss for the road.

“Ariel, congratulations on Jidoor! You’ll have to tell me more about it tomorrow! Love you!”

“I will, Mom! Love ya!” she replied, giving her parents hugs.

Finally, Mom stared at Miranda. Miranda got nervous. She and Mom had always had what she believed was a rough relationship. Perhaps it was similarities in ideas and desires. She knew her mother had been a brilliant military tactician and was currently the Chancellor of Figaro, yet it always seemed like she didn’t want her to pursue a similar path. Mom had seemed visibly frustrated when she wanted to start fencing and when she had begun reading tactics books. Miranda had always found, she believed, more of a supportive voice in her father, who only seemed interested in her finding a path that made her happy. She already knew he had most likely spoiled the good news.

“Miranda?”

Miranda looked down. “Yes, Mom?”

“Look at me, my love.”

Miranda listened and slowly looked up. Surprised, she saw her mother smiling proudly. “Dad told me. The Figaro Military Academy? That is fantastic! I’m so proud of you!”

Miranda began to cry as she hugged her mother. “Thank you, Mom. It means so much to hear that.”

Mom comforted her as she kissed her daughter’s forehead. “We can definitely talk more tomorrow. I don’t want to keep you from your plans. Please tell Tim and his parents we say hello and would love to have them over this week!” She looked up at Miranda, who was now smiling again. She loved that smile. It could brighten up the night sky. “Sweetie, I know I don’t say it enough to you all, but I love you so much and am just so happy you keep finding success in what you want to do. Miranda, I truly do bless this choice. You’re going to do amazing things there.”

Miranda just glowed as she hugged her mother again. “I love you so much, Mom.”

“I love you too, dear.”

After a moment of silence, Stephen added his awkward teenage commentary. “Glad to see a beautiful sight. We ready to go now?” he asked happily. He then took a pillow to the face himself.

Dad looked angry. “Stephen, would you like to remain home tonight? If not, I recommend you let them take their time.”

“Sorry, Dad.”

“It’s okay. We don’t get much time with you all like we used to. You’re growing up so fast. We’re taking these moments whenever we can get them. I'm so proud of all of you. Miranda, Enjoy your evening with Tim. I love you all. Travel safe.”

“Thanks, Dad, I love you too,” Miranda exclaimed as she hugged her father. With that, the three kids left for the evening.

 

Now, the evening was a little more relaxed. Celes settled back into her normal spot along Locke’s chest and breathed a sigh of happiness. “Ye gods, did we really just have such a perfect day of news from them?”

“That we did, Celes. It’s humbling and beautiful."

Celes sighed again. “Yet I’m always going to wish I could do more for them. Gods, Miranda really thought I would be mad at her choice, didn’t she?”

Locke chuckled. “I’m sure it worried her a bit. She’s always had a slight jealousy of Ariel, too. All unfounded, but hey, we know emotions are strange.”

Celes laughed. “That they are. Ye gods, I can’t believe Stephen is suddenly a student.”

“About damn time, too. I was teetering towards taking away the wrestling until he took it more seriously. I think he wanted to emulate his sisters more than anything. It would’ve worked, I’m sure. Ariel’s banishment from musical instruments focused her enough.”

Celes smiled. “She hated you for a while after that.”

“Nah, she just didn’t like me. But dads get that treatment from time to time,” Locke chuckled. “Now, my frustration is trying to walk around her makeshift orchestra in the living room. Her first symphony will be ‘Dad Kicks the Oboe in A minor,’ I’m sure.”

Celes laughed again. “Gods, it feels so good to talk to you again in person. So glad I get the next three weeks off.”

Locke smiled. “The kids will love it too. Especially the vacation to New Narshe. Already made plans to meet up with the Curleys and Kinnicks while we are there.”

“Locke, that’s fantastic! It has been way too long. How about you? A lot of work planned for the next couple of weeks?”

“My gods, yes. Edgar wants more changes to those new bigger buildings Figaro castle started on outside the gates. I swear, building upward is causing us a lot of headaches in the design. Ah well, it keeps him happy, and I can do the work from here now.”

Celes then turned to look at her husband. She had a seductive look in her face. “Any work planned for tonight?”

Locke raised and lowered his eyebrow whle smiling. “Nope. I’m free for the evening if you are, my dear.”

Celes chuckled as she leaned in. Work schedules and three kids had made these moments few and far between. Whenever they knew they had a chance, they always took it. After a few kisses, Locke took Celes’ hand and they walked into the house.

 

Three hours later, they were dressed again and back out on the deck, in their favorite lounge chair, waiting for the kids to return. Celes’ back was once again against his chest, and Locke had his arms lovingly around her waist. Together, they gazed into the night sky, thinking about everything and nothing at the same time.

Together, they silently reflected on their lives and how they had gotten to this moment. It had been tough, painful, and full of sorrow and loss. It had also been full of pinnacles and plenty of loving moments with their friends and new family. They had survived Locke’s chocobo attack, Celes’ carriage accident, and other infirmary visits for the kids. They had survived an esper and a madman wielding the Warring Triad. Ahead of them lay a happier time, as the world seemed to be taking its lessons from history very seriously.

Still, in this moment, they relaxed and stared out into space together, enjoying the infinite possibilities that still awaited them. And they could enjoy this moment together, something they had treasured so strongly, before enjoying even more with their children that weekend.

Locke and Celes sighed happily. The moment was perfect.


End file.
